Somewhere Beyond This
by Sassybratt
Summary: AU: Ex-lovers, Kagome and Inuyasha, are traveling on the same plane along with their friends. When something goes wrong, they crash into a deserted island. Will they be able to forgive and forget in order to survive or will they be their own undoing?
1. Biology

**Somewhere Beyond This  
**_(Co-written with LoversKagXInu)_

**Chapter 1: Biology**

_In order to be betrayed, you must love.  
_

_In order to love, you must trust.  
_

_In order to trust, you must be willing to give your heart to someone, having faith they wouldn't break it._

His amber eyes glared at me, swirling with the infuriating depths of hate, anger seeping out of his muscles like water. I was so close to him, I could smell the alcohol in his breath. My throat was sore and raspy from yelling. I had no more strength to battle him, no more strength to love him.

My eyes stung with foreboding tears, but I would not allow them to fall, allow him to see weakness. I could only fist my hands at my sides, trying to make him back down.

But he wouldn't budge.

That's just the way he was. He acted as if he didn't care, as if nothing hurt him, but deep down, he has scars upon his heart just like the rest of us.

At the moment, it didn't seem he had any emotions at all.

We stood there, facing each other, for several minutes. A low growl reverberated in his chest, daring me to say something. Finally, drained of all my strength, I took a step back. My hands relaxed at my sides and my teeth bit my lower lip to hold back my cries.

I looked at him, the first time in a long while. His silver hair brimming with promise, his eyes darkened with knowledge, his frown deepening with anger. How could I continue like this?

So I made up my mind. I wouldn't.

With the anger still evident on my face, I glared into his eyes. "I hate you," I mumbled harshly, just enough so he could hear.

His eye seemed to twitch, but that was all the reaction I got from him. With no more words, I huffed and turned around before stomping out of his apartment. I closed the door, without turning back, leaving memories of my love behind.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

I hated Biology class.

It wasn't the subject I hated. Actually, I love Biology. The knowledge of knowing what went on within one's body, the certain substances used to fend off disease, the different aspects of promoting new research to find more cures. To be honest, I was studying to become sort of an expert on the subject.

No, I hated Biology class because of the obnoxious jerks who decided to take the course as well. I swear, they only did it to get on my nerves.

I watched in my peripheral vision as one of my fellow classmates tapped my friend on the shoulder. Her brow furrowed immediately, sending the man signals as to leave her be. He just couldn't comply. "Hey, Sango," he whispered to her, twisting a knife in my heart for each word he breathed. I kept my eyes trained on my professor at the front of the class, trying to concentrate on the descriptive diagram he was drawing of the human heart. "Psst! Sango!" he hissed again, causing a spark of rage to light within me.

She turned around, her auburn hair softly falling over her shoulders at the movement. "What is it, Inuyasha?" she dared to ask, keeping her voice low in an attempt to avoid the teacher's eyes.

He smirked, glad to have succeeded in getting her attention. "Got a pencil I can borrow?" I think I heard a grunt sound from her throat. Her teeth grounded against each other as she quickly handed him the item he requested. It seemed like a stupid thing to ask, considering we each had personal laptops atop our desks.

And he couldn't even say thanks. The nerve of the guy! I sighed in frustration, tuning out the tapping sound emitting from his pencil as it pounded rhythmically against his desk. I had to fold my arms to refrain from turning around and ripping the writing utensil away.

My professor was an elderly man. His gray hair was pulled back, leaving his balding scalp uncovered. He had large eyes that always seemed to be darting from person to person, zeroing in on those who weren't paying attention. I think he had some sort of radar and knew exactly if a student had any idea of what was going on. He had a crick in his back; evident from his hunched shoulders and the walking stick he always appeared to carry. I'm surprised he remembered it half the time. You see, he tends to forget things. "Inuyasha!" he bellowed, quickly coming up the steps into the group of desks. "Stop that infuriating sound, immediately!"

Surprisingly, Inuyasha did as he was told and placed the pencil on his desk. "Keh, whatever, Totosai."

Mr. Totosai nodded his head slightly, still wary of Inuyasha's statement and wasn't quite sure if he should believe him or not. "Very well then ..." he mumbled, making his way slowly down the aisle and back to the front of the classroom. He turned to the board and picked up a dry erase marker, intending to continue his lecture. He was still for a moment. "Uh ..." he said, at a loss for words. "Where was I again?" See what I mean? Forgetful.

"You were finishing up your lecture on the human heart, proceeding to tell us of an upcoming class trip we are to take," a masculine voice called from the back of the room. I glanced up at the source to see Miroku Houshi leaning forward in his chair so the old man could hear better.

"Wha ...? Oh yes, that's right," Totosai mumbled before setting down the marker and taking a few steps towards the class. He cleared his throat, preparing for the instructions. "I have some news from the board of directors. It seems we have almost enough money in the school budget to support a field trip for the science department. Of course, we have planned a trip every year in hopes that we may just have a chance to go and it seems like your the lucky ones." He nodded his head, folding his arms around his walking stick, and closed his eyes, mumbling a string of agreements. "Yep, yep, you guys are it."

I rose my hand. "Oh, ah yes Kagome." All eyes turned to me and I felt a pair of golden orbs burning holes in the back of my head.

"Did you say, we _almost_ have enough money?" I asked hesitantly, unsure if what I heard was correct.

"Oh I did?" He scratched his head for a moment, thinking about his previous statement. "Oh yeah!" he declared, pounding one fist into his hand. "We are in need of 90,000 yen per student in order to complete the payments."

I heard Inuyasha scoff behind me. "You're crazed old man. Where the hell are we supposed to get 90,000 yen?"

"Well, we can raise the money," a bubbly girl called from the other side of the room. She swiveled around to meet everyone's curious stares. "We could have a sort of fund raiser. Like car washes, garage sales, bake sales, stuff like that." Her rose petal lips curved upward in a smile and her eyes sparkled with excitement.

"That isn't such a bad idea, Rin," Sango called. "We could separate the money between us. That way, it won't seem as much and we can gather it faster."

The class broke out into a heated discussion, various students getting involved with the ideas. After all, you're talking about a group of science geeks who have just been told they're one of the lucky groups to be chosen for the trip. I sighed, shaking my head slightly.

"Woah, wait a minute," someone spoke up. "Who says we're all goin anyways?"

All eyes turned to the man sitting slightly behind me to the right. Kouga Ookami, the man who held my heart, was leaning back in his chair, arms crossed. His piercing blue eyes darted between our collective group, watching as each person's face filled with the same unreadable expression. "I mean, we're all not rich ya know. Even if we could empty our bank accounts or raise the money, what about expenses when we get there?"

"Keh," Inuyasha grunted behind me. "You're just scared Kouga. We all know you got the money."

He fisted his hand and abruptly stood. "I'm not scared, moron!" he snarled at the silver-haired man. "I was just thinking of others in the class." His eyes immediately turned to me, causing a blush to rise in my cheeks. He knew of my financial struggle. I was lucky to get a full scholarship to attend Tokyo University. If it weren't for my academic record, I would probably be in a community college instead of a private university. My eyes broke from his and I fidgeted slightly with my hands.

Inuyasha followed his gaze and met mine, causing a lump to stick in my throat and my heart to miss a beat. He smirked, as if he knew a secret. "Well screw them. They don't have to go," he said, referring to our classmates without proper financial aid. I glared at him, but it had little effect on his cold demeanor.

"I suggest we go over this trip a bit more. After all, we know nothing about it," a cold voice spoke up from the back of the room. Everyone turned their head to look at the woman behind it. Kikyo glanced over the faces of her classmates, her gaze resting on mine for a bit longer. She had her usual emotionless mask on, causing a shiver to run down my spine. Her midnight hair trailed softly down her back to kiss her waist and her skin was a ghostly pale. Don't get me wrong, she was beautiful, but there was something about her I just didn't like. I'm not sure what it was ... I can't explain it.

"Oh, ah yes, Kikyo," Totosai said, folding his arms behind his back. "We are to be traveling to the Human Studies Facility on the west coast of the United States. Our trip is scheduled precisely one month from now." He hobbled over to his desk and pulled out a pile of papers, immediately shoving them into Rin's possession. She smiled brightly at him before doing the unspoken task, handing each person a pamphlet.

Inuyasha took one glance at it and scoffed. "So old man, how do you expect us to come up with 90,000 yen in less then a month?"

The professor scratched his head for a moment, contemplating his question. "I'm not gonna tell you everything," he abruptly shouted, stomping up the steps to stand before the silver-haired student. He used his cane to playfully whip Inuyasha upside the head. Inuyasha rubbed the lump on his head, muttering something about old men and their short tempers.

"So, Mr. Totosai," Miroku spoke up again. "We are supposed to get 90,000 yen by the end of the month, correct?"

"Yep, that's what I said," Totosai replied, coming to stand in the front of the room, crossing his arms behind his back. "Now there is the small part about chaperone's."

Inuyasha grunted. "We don't need no babysitters." I hate to agree with the bastard, but we are sophomores in college. I think we can take care of ourselves. I glanced over at Sango and followed her hardened glare to the back of the room. Miroku smiled sheepishly before dropping his gaze in defeat. On second thought, I'd rather have someone there to stop the perverted guy from rubbing my ass, although he seemed to have taken a liking to Sango. I shuddered, happy not to be the victim of Sango's fury. Let me tell you, don't get on her bad side.

"You young whippersnappers are gonna be the death of me," Totosai muttered before shaking his head. "I found a senior here at TU who I owe a favor to. Having him come on this trip would buy me some time."

Kouga crossed his arms and glared at the poor professor at the front of the room. To be honest, I feel bad for the guy. He has to deal with us almost every day. "For once I agree with dog-breath. We don't need someone to watch our every move. We're adults for Kami's sake." He's so hot when he's mad.

"Just spit out a name, would ya old man?!" Inuyasha interrupted, clearly agitated by the way Totosai kept avoiding the subject. I'm surprised he didn't take out his anger on Kouga. Usually those two are at each other's throats.

"Ah, yes, well ... " he stuttered. Taking a glance at Inuyasha's molten glare, the professor shuffled behind his desk, bent over, and clasped his hands over his head, as if he was trying to protect himself from something ... or someone. "The guy who is going to come with us is ... Sesshomaru Takahashi."

Oh ... this was going to be good.

"What?!" Inuyasha shouted, abruptly standing up and taking a few steps towards Totosai, cowering behind his desk. "You invited my fucking brother to come? Are you insane or just plain stupid?" He grabbed the professor by his shirt collar and held him up so they were eye to eye.

Meanwhile, Rin was squealing on the other side of the room. She had her hands together and a starry look in her eye, repeating "Sesshy" over and over again. I swear she's in love with the guy. Its completely obvious.

"You pervert!" Sango screamed at the top of her lungs; a resounding smack echoed through the room seconds later. I looked over to see what had her all worked up, only to find Miroku sporting a red hand print. In the middle of all the confusion, he had managed to make his way to the front of the room and allow his cursed hands to wander.

"What? Ya scared of your big brother?" Kouga taunted Inuyasha before he dropped Totosai from his grasp and pounced upon my boyfriend.

I sighed. This was going to be the longest month of my life.

A/N: Hope you guys liked the first chapter. Me and my co-author were supposed to put it up at the same time, but she kind of got impatient. lol. Don't worry, I'm still working on my other fics. Hope to give you guys a new chapter for each story this week and upload a one-shot. Please let me know what you think. Thanks!


	2. Running From the Past

**Somewhere Beyond This  
**_(Co-written with LoversKagXInu)_

**Chapter 2: Running From the Past**

"I'm not sure," I sighed for what seemed like the millionth time that day. I was at mine and Sango's dorm room fixing my hair into a pony tail.

"Well, we have to figure out something," Ayame replied from her place on the bed. She was lying on her stomach flipping through a magazine. We were trying to figure out what to do in order to come up with the money needed. "Maybe we can hold a garage sale."

I glanced at her through the mirror, watching her curiously. "Are you serious?" Her innocent gaze found mine and I had to hold back a laugh. "We don't have anything to sell. What college student does?" I stepped away from my reflection and took a seat in the chair accompanying my computer desk.

Ayame sat up and flipped the magazine closed. Good, I've finally got her attention. "Well, what do you suggest?"

Sango, Rin, Ayame, and I all decided to work together in order to come up with the money. Although Sango's father would have no problem handing over what we needed, he had taught his daughter to work for what she wanted. Stupid parents and their stupid morals. "What about a bake sale?"

Ayame scoffed. "Can you cook?" I shook my head slowly and shifted my eyes to the window. "Neither can I. Unless you want to burn down the kitchen, I say we scratch that one off the list."

I groaned. Can anything be easy? "Well, I guess we can't do much until Sango and Rin get out of class," I mused, remembering why our two friends weren't here in the first place.

"Guess you're right." Ayame got up from her place in the bed. She stood in front of the mirror and redid her scarlet hair into two low braids.

"Want to go for a run?" she asked, glancing my way while proceeding to slip on her gym shoes.

I shrugged in agreement before getting off the chair and rummaging through my closet for my old running shoes. I've always loved the thrill of my feet hitting the pavement, the wind whipping through my hair, the burn in my chest from lack of oxygen. But with college classes and exams, I haven't had much time for any thing these days. "One time around the campus?"

She smiled before walking over to the mini-refrigerator Sango and I managed to sneak in. Taking out two bottles of water, she set them down on the nightstand and waited for me to change. As usual, Ayame had come over in a tank top and running shorts. She had always been the athletic type. "Let me change real fast," I mumbled, grabbing some clothes from the closet and drifting into the bathroom.

I came out moments later in a grey sports bra and a pair of shorts. I slipped a white towel into my waistband so it dangled out to reach the middle of my thigh, copying Ayame's look. Taking a final glance around the dorm, I grabbed my cell phone before walking out the door with my friend in tow. "So, who else do you know is going on the trip?" she asked as we walked towards the stairs of the building.

"Well," I replied hesitantly, looking back in my mind over the others in my class. "I know Rin and Sango are going, meaning Miroku is going to go, too." I smiled in remembrance of this morning's events. Although the class was in chaos and Inuyasha practically strangled our teacher, I still recalled my lecherous classmate's systematic behavior. He's going to get himself killed one of these days.

"And Kouga?" she asked after noticing my long pause.

I glanced over and detected hurt in her usual shining emerald orbs. My heart clenched, realizing that look mirrored my own feelings five years ago. "Yeah," I replied softly, pulling my eyes from hers. Before Kouga and I had gotten together last year, she had been pining after him. She was unsuccessful, though, because Kouga had been following me around like a puppy dog. I had repeatedly told him I wasn't interested, but he wasn't the kind of guy to give up so easily. Finally, I gave into his charm and, with Ayame's consent, I agreed to go out with him. Although I never wanted to hurt her, she seemed to come to terms with me and Kouga's relationship. "Anyone else?" I asked, trying to change the subject. I don't truly believe she ever got over Kouga's feelings for me.

She glanced away for a moment in thought and when she looked back, the spark had returned to her eyes. "Well, I think Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi said they were going. And of course there's Mr. Totosai and Sesshomaru." We paused a moment in conversation to open the doors. I had to squint my eyes against the intruding sunlight as it gave warmth to the land.

I had forgotten Inuyasha's older brother was going to supervise us. Even though I thought that we were old enough to take care of ourselves, there were _certain _people who needed to be watched at all times. Inuyasha would be one of them. "Oh, that's right." We began our run as soon as our feet touched the cement.

Ayame gave a slight smile. "Yeah, it was kinda scary in class today with Inuyasha and Mr. Totosai." Her lips parted, allowing a light giggle to flutter in the air. "I thought that someone was going to have to call security!" Now it was my turn to laugh.

"It wouldn't surprise me," I sighed as we rounded the corner of the Eastern side of campus. "Inuyasha was always the kind of person to have the attention on him, and only him." I smirked in order to cover up how much pain that one sentence gave me. I shook my head to clear the thoughts. "He hasn't changed much in the past few years.

Suddenly, Ayame stopped. She stood a moment, allowing her breaths to even out as her hair shifted in the breeze. "What is with you two, anyways?" She rolled her eyes. "It's been like five years. I say you just get over yourselves and get along. Who cares what happened in the past?"

Ouch. That one hurt. I can't believe she actually said that, knowing I don't like to talk about _him_. "It's complicated. Let's just finish our run."

"No," she argued. "You never told me what happened between you two. I even tried talking to Sango about it and she doesn't have a clue either. I mean, one day you're together, the next you guys hate each other's guts." Damn, she's not as dumb as she looks.

I rolled my eyes and placed my hands on my hips, letting a breath escape to blow my bangs away from my sweat covered forehead. The truth was, the only reason why I don't talk about it is because there's nothing to talk about. We met, we dated, we broke up. Simple as that. Besides, it was in the past and I didn't want to dwell on it. Although, everyone else seemed to get a kick out of asking me every time _his _name came up. "It's nothing. I just didn't feel anything towards him anymore. That's all."

I knew she wouldn't buy that. She had already crossed her arms and glared at me before I could even finish my sentence. "So you didn't love him, but you love Kouga now?" Her gaze softened and a smile blessed her lips.

I shifted my gaze, looking at anything but the heart broken girl before me. I always thought about it, late at night, what it would be like to spend the rest of my life with him. What it would be like to wake up to his deep blue eyes, his arms wrapped around me, his lips whispering sweet nothings into my ear.

But the truth was ... I couldn't.

Right now, I could imagine us being together in college, but not for the rest of my life. I didn't want to lie to her because, honestly, I wasn't sure. There were times when I wouldn't care if everything in my life fell apart; I would be alright as long as he was there. Then there were other times when I became bored with his charms and mind-blowing kisses and cocky attitude. "I don't know," I finally replied, unable to come up with a decent answer.

Before she could respond, I was already down the block. She caught up to me in no time and we ran in silence for a few minutes. I guess she finally got the message that I didn't want to talk about my past relationships. Besides, I knew it hurt for her to talk about me and Kouga. I could see it in her eyes.

I ran around the next corner and saw the trademark stone fountain in the middle of the courtyard. It was absolutely breath-taking. The water glistened in the afternoon sun, sending sprays of cold liquid to the surrounding benches. A couple sat together, enjoying the water's relief from the heat. A rainbow reflected off the shimmering depths of the fountain's pool and a few copper coins lay hidden at the bottom. I remembered the first time I came here, a few years ago with ...

I snapped out of my thoughts when I felt my head hit the ground. My vision began to blur and spin, causing me to see two of everything. It wasn't until a few moments later when everything started to fall into place, that I was able to see straight. On instinct, my hand found its way to the growing bump on my head and I groaned in pain. I saw Miroku and Ayame hovering over me with worried expressions.

Slowly, I rose to a sitting position, squinting my eyes shut to keep the nausea at bay. "Wh ... what happened?" I stuttered, feeling the blood rush to my ears. I finally worked up the courage to open my eyes. My head throbbed, as if drums were being played in the center of my head.

Miroku snickered before holding out a hand for me. "We were bringing a new table into our dorm ... and you kinda ran into it. You alright?"

I took his hand and tried to nod, but with the forming headache, I opted to using my voice. "Yeah, I'm find. Just a little dizzy." I got to my feet and tried to brush the dirt off my shorts. I tightened my ponytail and crossed my arms, trying to look as dignified as possible. After all, it wasn't every day you saw someone run straight into a table and fall down, hitting their head on the pavement and probably causing brain damage. I looked around and saw the delivery men bringing a table into the boys' side of campus.

"Same old klutz, always running into things," a voice called. I peered over Miroku's shoulder and saw Inuyasha walking over to us. He had his shirt off and tucked into the side of his jeans with a football in his hands. "I thought there was going to be a dent in it." He smirked as he caught up with his roommate, laughing softly.

I found myself looking anywhere but his eyes. I didn't want to lose myself to their swirling depths. It would be too much.

His tight abs annoyed me. Not that I didn't like them, it was just ... he always had to show them off. The other girls probably didn't mind.

I tore my gaze from his chest, feeling a blush creep into my cheeks. I took a deep breath and finally managed to meet his gaze, narrowing my eyes in the process. "You wouldn't know what hit you if it gave you a map," I said between clenched teeth. "Besides, you're the one with the hard head."

Miroku chuckled and a lecherous grin spread across his lips. I glared at him to silence his laughter, fisting my hand at my side in order to clobber him. Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "You know, I always thought you would be the one on top of the table, not underneath it." He fiddled with the football in his hands. "I guess Kouga gets to decide which one you are each time, huh?"

First he makes a comment about my coordination skills, and now my sex life? Great, why can't he just mind his own business? "And that's coming from someone who doesn't know the difference between footballs and his own." I smirked and heard Ayame giggle beside me.

"Keh," he mumbled, turning his head to Miroku. "Come on, man. I gotta get ready." He turned to walk away, shooting me a look in the process.

Anger boiled in my blood, causing me to cross my arms and lean on one hip. "You going to spend some 'one-on-one' time with Kikyo?"

He didn't seem to think that was funny and turned to give me a sympathetic look. "Its pretty funny when you think of it," he mused, raising a brow. "Five years ago I was with you and felt like killing myself from boredom. And now five years later I am with someone who I love, but whenever I see you," he sighed. " - I still feel as if death is the better option."

I grounded my teeth together and gave him the best glare I could muster. Still dizzy from my fall, I took a few steps towards him and locked gazes with his. "I would kill you myself," I paused. "But I keep seeing three of you and I don't know which one to hit."

He smirked and rolled his eyes. "You never changed a bit, you know that?" What, did he think I was being sarcastic?

I bit the inside of my cheek, trying not to say something I would regret later. "The feelings mutual. You're still an asshole." I glared one last time into his molten orbs before steering myself away and began to walk back to my waiting friend. "Let's go," I mumbled, eager to be free of Inuyasha's presence.

Miroku shook his head in exasperation and grabbed my arm before I could leave. "Will I see you tonight at the party? Yura's having a thing in her dorm building and invited a bunch of us to go."

I glanced passed him to see Inuyasha waiting expectantly. His expression was unreadable, keeping me from understanding if he wanted me to go or not. I vote for the latter. I turned my attention back to Miroku and smiled. "Yeah, its on the South side, right?" I never went to parties, strictly against my college rules. Then again, it would be fun to go and see what happens. And to see the look on Inuyasha's face. Miroku nodded and I laughed. "I'll be there. See you then."

I took Ayame's arm and dragged her away from them, stopping only a moment later to hollar back to the lecher. "Oh, and if you see Sango, tell her to come back to the dorm by five, 'kay?" Miroku waved to me, smiling like an idiot, and I couldn't help but laugh again. He looked as if he had just died and gone to heaven. Sango would refuse to go anywhere the pervert might be, but with some careful persuading from me and Ayame, I'm sure she'd be happy to oblige. Besides, underneath all of his quirky stunts and sexual comments, I believe Miroku is a really great guy.

I looked over to see Ayame staring at me curiously. She had constantly begged and pleaded with me to go to a party with her, but I had always turned the offer down. I was here for my education, not to get drunk and dance all night. I saw her face light up as if a miracle had just found her doorstep. "Tonight," she announced with a silly grin. "We party!" She fisted a hand into the air and let out a girly squeal. I rolled my eyes and continued our run.


	3. Party Gone Bad

**Somewhere Beyond This  
**_(Co-written with LoversKagxInu)_

**Chapter 3: Party Gone Bad**

Pink.

I don't quite understand how anyone can enjoy a color so much.

But Sango always managed to prove me wrong.

"Do you like?" she asked as soon as I stepped out of the bathroom, squeezing the moisture from my hair with a towel.

I grimaced. She was wearing a pink halter top, a pink pair of jeans, pink heels, a pink necklace, and her face was covered in pink makeup. She even managed to tie her hair up with a pink rubberband. The girl knew fashion, don't get me wrong, but when she gets nervous, she tends to be a little ... off. I blame Miroku this time. "Uh, Sango," I mumbled, tracing my eyes over her attire once more. "Don't you think its a bit much?"

Her smile fell as she glanced in our full length mirror. "I guess you're right," she sighed, her lips sticking out in a pout.

I chuckled, amused by her reaction. "Come on," I said, setting down the towel and taking her by the hand. "Lets fix you up." I led her to the closet and let my eyes brush over the array of clothes she had. Although most of it consisted of pink, I managed to find some decent clothes. "Why don't you try on these and pair it with this?" I asked, holding up a black mini skirt and a pair of black flats.

"Thanks, Kags," she replied with a grin. "You're awesome."

"I know," I boasted, handing over the items and shooing her into the bathroom.

About fifteen minutes later, I had helped her complete her look by taking off some of the makeup and giving her a more natural appearance. She sighed in content. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Probably give people nightmares," I supplied, smirking as she playfully swatted at my head. I laughed at her expression, taking a pillow and hurling it at her in defense. "How do I look?" I asked, stepping in front of the mirror and dropping the little fight. We were on a mission and had no time to be goofing around.

She smiled and stood beside me. Her eyes shined with excitment as she brushed my long, black hair over my shoulder. "Beautiful," she mumbled, her tone filled with sisterly love. I had to admit, I looked pretty good. I wore a midnight blue halter dress with black leggings and a pair of heels.

"Kagome!" someone shouted before the door was slammed opened. We glanced over in surprise to see two boys standing in the doorway.

"Souta?" I questioned, wondering why my little brother was in my college dorm. "What are you doing here?"

Sango swiveled her gaze to the elder of the boys, noticing her younger sibling glancing anywhere but her. "Kohaku, too?"

"Hey, wait for me!" a childish voice called before a short red-headed boy squeezed his way through our two uninvited guests. I immediately recognized him to be one of Souta's friends. "Jeez, can't wait for the little guy, can ya?"

"Alright, Shippo," I said sternly, crossing my arms and tapping my foot on the ground. "What are you three doing here?"

"I'm sorry dear," my mother said, appearing next to our intruders. "We were in the neighborhood and thought we'd drop by."

I groaned. "Mom ... " I whined, throwing my hands up in the air in a small tantrum. I got a college dorm so I wouldn't have to put up with my estranged family at home. "Can't you at least call before you come?"

"Yeah, Ms. Higurashi," Sango chimed in, smiling softly. She wasn't one to be rude, especially with adults. Although, Miroku always seemed to be an exclusion. "We were just getting ready to head out."

"Can we go?" Souta asked, fisting his hands in anticipation.

"No," I practically shouted without hesitation. There was no way I was going to have my kid brother at a college party, especially when there was beer involved. "A college party is no place for kids. Go home and play your video games, or whatever you do."

"Aw, come on, sis," Kohaku begged, giving my roommate a pleading look. "Can't we come for a bit?"

"Yura's parties sometimes get out of hand. Sorry, kid," Sango said, kneeling down to his level. I swear, that girl could be in the foulest mood, but as soon as Kohaku shows up, she's all rainbows and sunshine.

My mom opened her mouth to respond, but I quickly cut her off. "Don't even start, mom," I said, glaring at her. "We are adults now and can go to parties whenever we want. Besides, you know I'm not the type to let things get out of control." She didn't need to know about the underage drinking or the sex usually involved, right? I wasn't going to do any of it, so it didn't really matter.

I seemed to quell her fears for the time being. "If you say so, dear. I trust you," she replied, smiling. "Come on, boys, we should let them get ready."

"Oh, alright," Souta sighed. The boys left, mumbling a stream of complaints along the lines of 'I never get to do anything.' Before the door shut behind them, I saw Shippo glance back and snicker before running after his friends.

"That boy worries me," I mumbled, referring to the red-head's strange attitude.

"Yeah," Sango agreed, quickly dropping the conversation as her cell phone rang. She picked it up and answered.

While she was on the phone, I touched up my make up and listened to Sango's side of the conversation. "Yeah, we'll be there in a bit. See ya then."

"Ayame and Rin?" I asked, already smiling at her exasperated sigh.

"Yeah, those two don't have any patience." We giggled before shutting off the lights and heading out of our dorm room.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

Loud. Noisy. Annoying. Nauseating. Blaring. Painful. Deafening. Shaking. Earsplitting.

If you wanted to describe Yura's party, those words didn't do it justice.

There were so many people, they were pouring out of the doors. The entire floor was crowded with students, spilling out from dorm rooms into the narrow hallway. People hollared across the hall, beers were passed like notes in junior high, the dance moves seemed to be from a different planet, and the language wasn't the nicest either.

Not that I'm complaining.

I took refuge in the dorm a few doors down from Yura's, occupying the same spot for the last thirty minutes - by the snacks of course. No one bothered you there. Remember? I'm not the partying type. Everyone was either passed out on the couches or floor, dancing in the middle of the chaos, or just simply standing there. I had yet to see Inuyasha, which had been my main reason for going. Oh well, guess it was a stupid idea in the first place.

My muscles were tense and my mind kept screaming for me to leave, to run out of the building and straight back to my dorm, but my nerves finally calmed down when I saw Kouga across the room.

His blue eyes shined like crystals from the flourescent glow of the moon streaming through the windows. He smirked before pushing his way through the crowd and making it to my side. "Are you having fun?" he screamed above the music. I couldn't tell what kind of song was playing. It seemed to mix into various genres. All I knew was my head had begun pounding from the bass, probably cranked up to full. I swear, the floor was vibrating beneath my feet.

I smiled and opened my mouth to answer, but someone squealed just to my right, piercing through my ear drums almost enough to make me deaf.

Glancing over Kouga's shoulder, I saw Rin and Ayame playing twister with three other girls. They looked like undead drunks and I couldn't help but laugh at their strange behavior. "I'm not having as much fun as they are," I giggled. Looking behind my friends, I spotted Sango on the couch with Miroku. And were they ... kissing? I think the world stood still for a moment as my brain tried to process such an unimaginable sight. Seriously, I think Sango told me once the chances with her being with Miroku were like, one in a zillion. "-or them." I sighed to myself; I was happy my friend found love in the lecher, but sad because my own heart was still in turmoil.

I have no idea why the scene was so funny. Maybe it was something I said? But I tuned back into my boyfriend and found him laughing his ass off. So hard, in fact, that people began to stare. I rolled my eyes and tried to calm him down. After I coaxed him out of his little fit, he smirked. "Do you want to?" he asked, referring the the liplocking Sango and her new lover were now enduring. His gaze turned from my eyes to my arm, stroking it lovingly with the back of his hand.

I smiled at his comment. "I'm fine, it was just a joke," I lied, giggling a bit to back it up. He looked down at me, moving closer as I became lost in the azure depths of his eyes. My breaths quickened and I suddenly found the room too tight, too crowded, too hot. I felt a lump stick in my throat as I tried to stop the dread rising within me.

His lips barely touched mine as I leaned up on my toes to savor his touch, his taste. His arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me tight to his chest. My hands found their rightful place around his neck, interwining in his dark hair, pulled free from its usual pony tail.

Suddenly, a loud voice boomed down the hallway and I jerked myself away from the lust-filled man before me. "Time to get this party started!" a familiar childish squeal echoed through the dorms. I managed to pull out of Kouga's grasp and push my way through the crowd, trying to catch a glimpse of the boy darting in between a group of girls.

"Souta?" I asked aloud, wondering what the hell my fifteen-year-old brother was doing at a college party. My eyes widened and I immediately felt anger light within me, causing my head to pound with rage. I took Kouga's hand and pulled him with me through the maze of people, trying to keep him from tripping over his own feet. Damn the beer and my lightweight of a boyfriend.

It didn't take me long to spot my brother, along with his two friends, dancing with a group of seniors; who were obviously high and drunk. I grabbed Souta from the crowd and pulled him into one of the rooms, automatically letting go of Kouga's hand. "What are you three doing here?" I screamed above the noise, letting my anger be known. I shuttered to think what mom would say about this.

Souta shook his head, glancing over his shoulder to see Shippo crowd surfing. "Relax, Sis. Mom thinks we're still upstairs asleep in our beds. We jumped on a bus for about a half hour and here we are." His smile widened, innocently glancing around the party, as if to approve the fun level.

I didn't know whether to be proud of him, or be mad at him. After all, its not every day your brother puts his smarts to use, even if for the wrong reasons. Kouga slung his arm around my waist, drunkenly leaning against my shoulder. "Kags," he slurred, beer swishing violently from the plastic cup in his hand as he waved his arm around in meaningless gestures. "I think ya should give the boy some credit. Here ya go, kid." He smiled before handing over the yellow liquid.

"Kouga!" I yelled, reprimanding him for giving a drink to a minor. "What the hell are you doing? He's fucking fifteen years old!" I snatched the drink away before Souta could touch it, setting it on the table next to me. Kouga continued to smile at me, as if he were an innocent child. "You're drunk," I mumbled, pushing him off my shoulder and leaning him on the wall.

I grabbed my brother's hand and led him through the crowd, trying to catch sight of Kohaku or Shippo. I had to get them home before mom found out. Somehow, I knew I would be the one to take the fall for it. A flash of pink caught my eye before I saw Sango staggering through the crowd. "Sango!" I screamed, somehow grabbing her attention. She grinned at me and waved before setting her sights on someone in the crowd.

"Kohaku!" she yelled. I think the room went silent at the noise. "Get your ass away from that girl immediately! And put down that beer before I come over there and whoop your ass!" She is tender and loving to her brother, more then I've ever seen her be with anyone. But when he does something that he knows hes not supposed to do ... well, like I said, never get on her bad side.

She managed to grab his arm and met up with me in the middle of the hallway. The kids grumbled, whining about their captors. "Hey, Kagome?" a voice called over the confusion in a questioning manner. We turned to see Ayame pulling Shippo through the crowd by his ear. "What's your brother's friend doing here?"

"Proving how stupid he really is." I glared at the three of them before motioning for my friends to follow me. We pushed through the crowd until we found a couch in a packed room. I ignored the strong smell of smoke and beer, concentrating on getting my brother and his friends out of there. "We need to get them home," I said, looking to my friends for help.

Sango giggled in a drunken manner and Ayame leaned on her shoulder, a bit tipsy from the numerous beers she consumed. Well, I couldn't exactly depend on them, now could I?

"Damn it all," I yelled above the noise. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to go to a party after all. How was I supposed to get all three of them home, safe and sound, with no one to help? I sighed. Oh well, I had to try.

Ignoring the slurred conversation Ayame and Sango were having, I grabbed a hold of Kohaku and Souta's hands, glaring at Shippo in an attempt to look threatening. I think he took the hint because his eyes found the ground and a pout formed across his lips. At least one of them listens to me. "Come on, guys, we're going home." I yanked the boys by the hands, glancing over my shoulder to make sure Shippo was following, before trying to squeeze my way through the crowd. It didn't help that Kohaku and Souta were pulling against my grip in protest and I felt light headed from the smoke.

"Excuse me," I called again and again, praying I could make it to the stairs before I ran out of oxygen. Honestly, who needs this much smoke at one college party?

While pushing my way through a huddled crowd, I lost my grasp on both Souta and Kohaku's hands, causing me to fall forward. Just my luck, I ended up _not_ falling into someone, causing a mass wave of dominoes, but I instead fell flat on my face in the middle of the room, surrounded by dancers with heels and big boots. I took a moment to clear my head before trying to struggled up once more. Only to be pushed down again.

I glanced up to try and glimpse who had shoved me, but everything was blurring together; sight, sound, smells. I couldn't tell smoke from perfume anymore, let alone find out where the hell I was. "Souta?" I called helplessly into the crowd, struggling to my feet, only to be shoved from behind. "Kohaku?" It seemed as if they had long ago escaped back to the party, rendering me vulnerable to the mass of people encircling me. "Shippo?" Even the little brat wouldn't come to my aid.

Out of the crowd, a hand seemed to reach for me, as if giving me unseen strength. Instinctively I grabbed it and waited until it pulled me to the wall, out of harms way. "You idiot," someone shouted above the noise. I coughed a few times and turned my head, trying to focus my vision on the silver blur before me.

"Inuyasha?" I mumbled, swallowing against the dry aching in my throat.

He scoffed. "What the hell are you doing down there? Trying to get yourself killed?"

"Kagome!" I slightly turned my head to see Rin staggering through the crowds, followed by Sango, Ayame, and Miroku. "You 'kay?" she slurred, giggling in her intoxicated state.

I nodded slightly. "I'm fine," I said, swallowing against the smoke infiltrating through my mouth. Now I know why smoking can kill you.

"Wow, Kags," Miroku said with a smile, slapping a hand on my shoulder with a beer in his hand. "Its an hour pass midnight and you're already hammered! You should come partying more often!"

"Can it, Miroku," Inuyasha sneered. "The bitch doesn't drink, so of course she's a lightweight."

I would have yelled back at him at the name he called me and the fact that I had nothing to drink, but my head hurt to much. "Where's Souta?" I managed to choke out, stopping the argument that was sure to ensue between Inuyasha and Miroku.

"You're brother's here?" the lecher asked in surprise. "Isn't he a little young?"

"He snuck in," I replied, pushing myself off the wall, trying to regain my bearings. "Along with Shippo and Kohaku. I have to get them home soon or else I'm dead."

"Ha ha! Dead ... " Sango laughed before slinging her arm over Ayame's shoulder. Most likely, they had started drinking as soon as we stepped through the doors. It was five o'clock somewhere, right?

"Ugh!" I screeched, throwing my hands up in the air and ignoring the pounding headache. They were really beginning to get on my nerves. "We need to find them!" My three friends stared at me for a moment, exchanged glances, and burst into a fit of giggles, leaning on each other for support. "You guys are hopeless," I mumbled, fisting my hands at my sides and pushing my way through the crowd.

"Stupid," Inuyasha called, grabbing my shoulder and twirling me around. "You'll end up getting trampled. Just let me and Miroku grab the brats for ya." Before I could agree or object, the two had already disappeared into the crowd, leaving me with the drunk lunatics.

"Don't call me that, you JERK!" I screamed after him, unsure if he heard me or not. I crossed my arms and huffed in a frustrated state. Glancing over, I watched as Rin tripped over her own feet, causing Ayame and Sango to laugh before they, too, slumped to the ground.

Parties are definitely NOT my thing.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please let me know what you think. The main story line will get back on track next chapter. Promise!


	4. CAR WASH!

**Somewhere Beyond This**

**Chapter 4: CAR WASH!!**

Did you ever get that feeling? You know, the one where you feel like you wish the earth would open up beneath you and swallow you whole? The one that usually comes around when you've done something embarrassing or extremely bad, and don't want to be the center of attention?

That is what I was feeling right now.

Mortified.

Corrupted.

Ashamed.

And the whole thing wasn't even my fault. "Well, you should have done _this_," she says. "Or you shouldn't of let him do _that_," she says. Doesn't my mother understand that I have no control over the mind of my fifteen year old brother?

Obviously not.

"I am very disappointed in you, Kagome," she said what seemed like the tenth time in the past hour. "I can not believe you allowed your brother, and his friends, to go to a college party. Especially when there was drugs and drinking involved."

"Mom," I tried reasoning with her. But with the look on her face and the way the light touched her, it seemed as if the battle had already been lost. "Nothing bad happened. The boys just thought they would have some fun, but they're home safe and sound. Not a hair out of place. We all make mistakes, just threaten them and be done with it."

I probably shouldn't have said that last part. I knew how much my mom hated it when I told her how to punish her son. She seemed to contemplate my words for a moment and silence thickened the room. Finally, she uncrossed her arms and her face seemed to relax. "I'll let you off the hook," she said sternly. "But only because you're an adult now and able to make your own decisions." She paused a moment before turning her heated glare upon me. "If I ever here of Souta doing something like this again in your presence, I will hold you personally responsible."

I gulped. "Yeah, mom," I replied meekly. Nothing could outdo my mother's wrath. Except maybe Sango's. But that's besides the point. "I've got to get back. I'll call you later this week, okay?"

"Alright, dear," she breathed, exhausted from the night's events. Waking up at two in the morning to find your son and his friends gone wasn't exactly a trip through dreamland. "I love you." She gave me a hug before smiling and waving me out of the house.

When the door closed behind me, I took a deep breath of the warm night air before making my way to the car waiting at the end of the driveway. "So, how'd she take it?" Miroku asked as I slipped into the driver seat.

I sighed. "Better then I thought she would." I peeked into the back seat, shaking my head at my wasted friends. Kouga and Ayame were curled up in one corner, looking uncomfortable in the single seat belt they had to share. Sango and Rin sat on the other side, a drop of drool trailing down the bubbly girl's chin. I still couldn't believe we all managed to fit in my car with the boys.

"Let's go drop Kouga off first," Miroku said, buckling up and waiting for me to ease off the brake. The men's dorms were a short distance away from ours, so dropping my drunk boyfriend off first was probably the best idea.

"You'll make sure he gets in okay?" I asked, remembering one of the reasons he had agreed to come.

He chuckled. "Yeah, sure, as long as he doesn't wake up and bite my head off." I couldn't help but smile and a silence thickened the air.

"So," Miroku started after a few moments, wanting to make conversations. "Are you guys going on the trip?"

"Yep," I replied with a little too much enthusiasm. "We're all going to get together tomorrow and do something to start raising the money. You?" I gave him a sideways glance before turning my attention back to the dark, deserted street.

"As far as I know," he said, glancing out the window as a store closed down for the night, their lights flickering before going out all together. "Yash is bringing Kikyo with." I cringed as he said that, feeling my heart break within my chest. Maybe it was the thought of seeing him with another girl ... granted I never actually seen them together, I only heard about their relationship and glimpsed them walking the halls. "I don't know anyone else who's going though ..."

After all, me and Inuyasha broke up five years ago. What was done was done and nothing was going to change that. If he found someone he was happy with, then that's all that mattered ... "Kags?"

I broke my gaze from the street and glanced over at Miroku, noticing the concerned expression on his face. "Uh, yeah?"

"You okay?" I must have been thinking too much and hadn't been tuning into what he said.

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just fine."

Miroku smiled and turned his eyes back to the window, leaving silence to fill the car once more. It was amazing really, how comfortable I was with Miroku. We've known each other for quite a long time, before Inuyasha and I dated, and yet we never drew apart like I did with so many of my friends after high school. He was more like a brother then a love interest, but I could always count on him to be there. "Hey, Miroku?"

"Hm?" He looked at my reflection on the passenger window.

"Thanks." A smile graced his lips. He didn't say anything, but the quiet rumble of the car was enough. We continued home in silence, our thoughts intertwining with a certain silver-haired friend and a journey only a month away.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

"CAR WASH!"

I covered my ears as the voice echoed through the campus, bouncing off the walls and ceilings.

"GET YOUR CAR WASHED!"

A few people turned to stare at our little set up we had out in front of the campus, having enough room for cars to pull off the main street if needed.

"CAR WA-" I yanked the girl down from the hood of my car, grabbing her arm and dragging her away from the spectator of boys who had appeared to watch the 'show.'

"Sango!" I hissed, trying to keep her attention as a group of guys without shirts walked by, eyeing my friend in her jean shorts and pink bathing suit top. "Do you mind keeping it down a bit?"

She waved at the boys and scanned her eyes over the campus. "Oh, come on, Kags," she protested, turning to look at me. "How are we ever going to raise money by just standing around here with a bucket of soap and a sponge?"

She had a good point. "Well, you don't have to go shouting at the top of your lungs!"

She laughed. "You worry to much. Why don't you use what the kamis gave you to earn some extra money." She grabbed me by the wrist before climbing on the hood of the car.

"What are you doing?" I asked in a worried tone, suddenly feeling self-conscious of the little clothing I wore, much like my deranged friend sported. "Sango!"

"Have some fun!" she told me before turning her attention back to the crowded campus. "CAR WASH!"

Oh well. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. "CAR WASH!" I screamed, copying Sango's exotic movements with her hips.

We had positioned our little funraising event in the middle of the dorm rooms so both the boys and girls could see our little act. Of course, the boys seemed more interested then the girls. "Hey you guys!" Rin said, running over in a t-shirt and shorts. "How's business?" She smiled up at us while leaning against my car, her eyes gazing about the collective group of men.

"Not bad, so far," I said, hopping down to chat with her while Sango continued to draw attention to herself. "We've had quite a few cars come through already and it isn't even noon."

"That's great! Where's Ayame?" Another car pulled up and Sango jumped down, immediately running to the driver's window and exchanging words with him. He seemed to be a sandy-blonde haired boy who had transferred from America and spoke fluent Japanese.

I watched as she nodded and he stepped out of the car, offering her the keys in case she needed to move it. "I don't know," I said. "Haven't seen her since last night after the party."

"Damn," Rin mumbled sheepishly. "I don't even remember half of last night."

I smiled and recalled how I had to wake her up early this morning in order to get her moving, giving her in detail the fun she had the previous night. I had yet to ask Sango about her make-out session with Miroku. "Hey, come on guys! I can't wash this thing by myself!" Sango waved us over and we smiled, immediately grabbing sponges and a bucket to help.

About two hours and twenty-something cars later, we sat under the shade of a tree, taking a much needed break. Rin began counting how much we had made in the first five hours of washing cars non-stop. I glanced over my hands, pruned from the amount of water they had endured. "Alright, how much we got so far?" Sango asked, taking out our lunch and splitting the sandwiches between us.

"Hmm ... " she mumbled in concentration, calculating numbers in her head. "Well," she finally sighed. "We're not even close to having one of our amounts paid, let alone all four." We had taken on 360,000 yen because of the size of our group.

I groaned. "This is going to take forever ..."

"Maybe I can help." We all turned to look at the red-head behind me.

"There you are, Ayame," Sango called out, fishing out a sandwich and handing it to her.

"Thanks," she mumbled taking a seat. "Sorry I'm a bit late, had some things to take care of."

"What's in the bag?" I asked, studying the blue plastic shopping bag accompanying her.

"Oh, I did a little fundraising of my own this morning." A michevious glint sparkled in her eyes before she took out a paperback book in good condition. "I found all of my grandmother's old books stored in an old chest at my gramp's house. They were in perfect condition so I brought them by some collector's shop and he agreed to buy some." She grinned.

"Wow, great job, Ayame," Sango praised, glancing over the cover. It appears her grandmother had only been into the collecting part, seeing as how the old woman could never have been interested in reading about the American rock 'n' roll, which is what the cover of the paperback said.

"So, how much did you make?" Rin asked, stashing our cash into her wallet and putting it in her purse for safe-keeping.

The red head seemed to think for a few moments, roughly going over the amounts in her head. "Hm ... not sure. Here," she said, digging into her purse for said money. "Why don't you take it and count it up tonight after we finish the car wash?"

"Okay, thats cool." The bubbly girl pocketed the money and unwrapped her sandwich to take a bite.

I smiled. "Now that we have an extra pair of hands, we should be able to get this done in no time. What do you say we stop around five?"

"Sound good to me," Ayame agreed, eating the food Sango offered her.

"Sorry, Kags," the brunette said. "I have a class in an hour and Rin has one after that. We're going to have to call it quits early."

"Damn," I grumbled, watching as the sun rose high above us, warming the land. It was going to be a while before night came. "Oh well, I guess Ayame and I can still do a few cars. But we have to figure out something else. I don't think this is going to cut it."

"I agree with you on that one." A few giggles were shared as the minutes passed, soon turning into one o'clock. As we got up, threw away our garbage, and looked at the crowded campus, Sango said, "Well, time to get back to work."

A/N: Alright, I'm guessing there are about two or three more chapters until we're done with all of this background crap and get to the real plot of the story. Sorry for making you guys wait. I do, however, have a little contest for you guys. Starting now, if you have any ideas about what should happen to the gang while they're on the island (whether it concerns romance, trials they have to face, deaths, friendships, etc. Really anything about their journey.) let me know in a review. If I use your idea in a chapter, I'll be sure to give you credit.

As a side note: LoversKagXInu is no longer going to be my co-author on this story. Her life has gotten way too hectic to continue writing as frequently as I wish, so she has allowed me to continue the story on my profile, as to not upset the readers with the long delays. She will, however, continue giving me ideas in what could occur in the story, considering the main story line was originally hers. Anyways, please leave a review to let me know what you think. Thanks!

**Please take my poll and vote up to 5. Otherwise I can't start on the next story. **


	5. Bittersweet Revenge

**Somewhere Beyond This**

**Chapter 5: Bittersweet Revenge**

_**Two weeks later ...** _

"Argh!" Ayame screamed as she burst through our dorm room. Sango and I looked up from our homework, startled to see our fiery friend standing in our doorway, her emerald eyes wild.

"What?" Sango asked, sitting up and setting aside her notebook and Calculus textbook. "Is everything alright?"

Ayame stormed in and sat down next to me, crossing her arms and glaring at us as if we were the cause of her problems. "No, everything is not alright!" Well, I guess it isn't something life threatening, other wise she would have skipped the formalities and gone straight to yelling about whatever was bugging her.

"Why are you so mad?" I asked, not knowing what to expect. Everything was always a surprise when it came to Ayame.

She sighed and it seemed her fury dissipated for the time being. "I can't go on the trip ... " she solemnly said, hanging her head and wrapping her arms around her knees.

"Wait, what?" Sango said, giving her full attention.

"What do you mean you can't go?" I asked, crawling so I was sitting in front of her.

"I don't know how, but my grandfather found out about what happened at Yura's party and said I wasn't allowed to go."

I stared at her, shocked. "But he can't do that! You're an adult now, you can do what you want. Besides, its not like he had to sign a permission slip or give you money."

She sighed. "You know my grandfather. He does this whole guilt trip thing," she said, rolling her eyes in the process. "If I don't do what he says, I will not only have no one to count on for favors in the future, but I'll always feel guilty."

"You really look up to your gramps, don't you?" Sango asked, her gaze softening as she laid a comforting hand on Ayame's knee. "Maybe Kags and I could talk to him, see if he'll change his mind."

She shook her head, her red hair falling softly over her shoulders. "No, it will only make things worse. You should have heard him on the phone when he found out. It was a miracle I was able to convince him to let me stay on campus."

I scowled and crossed my arms. Although her grandfather had a point and his rage was reasonable, I couldn't help but think of how he found out in the first place. The other parties Ayame had gone to had been crazier, or so I've been told. Why would Yura's party change that? "How does he know about it?" I asked, knowing full well she couldn't answer the question.

"I'm not sure," she replied, standing up and glancing at us. "But I'm going to find out." And before we could say anything else, she left the room just as swiftly as she had come.

"What should we do?" Sango asked as I continued to stare at the empty doorway.

I sighed and turned to look at her. "I don't know. What can we do?"

"Well, this sucks," she replied rather bluntly, crossing her arms and pouting.

"Yeah ... " I mumbled, the wheels in my head already turning to the culprit I was sure planned the entire thing. If you can't take down a target, go for those they care about. Thats always a superhero's weakness, right? The ones they love or care for? I guess the same thing applied here as well. "Come on." I took Sango's hand and led her out of the dorm, mulling over the words I was going to say when I came face to face of the person I despised most.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

I was beyond angry. Every way I looked at the situation, I came to the same conclusion. Someone had told Ayame's grandfather about her behavior the night of Yura's party. How else would the old man have found out? Sure, he called every so often and came down once a month, but we had all put on a show to hide our college behavior. He would have forced her to go to the community college down the street if he ever knew what went on behind closed doors.

But I guess there is no point in dwelling on him knowing about our ways. I couldn't change that fact, nor the fact that Ayame could no longer go on the trip, so I did the one thing I could do.

Get revenge.

Sango and I stormed through the dorm building, rage burning within us. After I had explained my thoughts to her, we had come up with the same person in mind and had immediately sought her out. A few people slid to the walls to avoid coming into contact with us, recognizing the fire in our eyes. Although, I'd have to say most of the fear came from Sango, considering she had sort of a reputation around campus.

Taking a right at the next corner, we found Ayame shouting at someone with midnight hair. I guess great minds think alike. "Ayame," I called, jogging to meet up with my best friend.

"How could you do that? What purpose did it serve?" she asked the young woman before her, tears glistening in her emerald eyes. I could tell she was really upset about this and had been looking forward to going.

I placed a hand on her shoulder in an effort to calm her as Sango stood on the other side. Her auburn eyes were flaring and I swear I heard a growl emite from her throat. "Kikyo ... " she grounded out, fisting her hands at her side. "What the hell is your problem?"

The woman in question let a small smile flit across her lips. "What do you speak of?" she asked, using her reverse-psychology crap against us. Sometimes I wished I had taken that class freshman year, just to get on her nerves.

"You know exactly what we're talking about," I said, my voice low and dangerous. I pulled Ayame into an embrace, watching Kikyo's face closely.

"Hey, weren't you guys at my party a few weeks ago?" Yura said, coming to stand beside her friend. "Yeah! You were the girls who brought their kid brothers. What a bunch of dumb-asses." She chuckled and set a hand upon her forehead, clutching her books to her chest. "Oh, you naughty, naughty girls," she warned, shaking her finger in mock torment.

"Can it, Yura," Sango growled, taking a step forward. "I am in no mood for your prissy ass."

"Tsk, tsk, that is no way to talk to a lady." She smiled and glared daggers at us.

"Why I should - " she warned, bringing a fist up and taking a step forward.

I immediately let go of Ayame and stood in front of her. "Sango, wait, I don't think pummeling them will do any good."

She eyed me for a moment before smiling. "Yeah, but it would feel a whole lot better." Before I could stop her, she had launched herself upon Yura, scattering the girl's books every where as they crashed to the ground.

"Sango!" I called, running over to the cat-fight and tried to pull her off, but my struggles were in vain.

Out of nowhere, an arm came around my waist and pulled me back, placing me in the clear of the flying fists. "Kouga?" I asked hesitantly, watching as he jumped over to Sango and easily hoisted her off of Yura. The brunette did not settle down and was dragged away, kicking and screaming.

"Let me go!" she yelled, clutching Kouga's arm and struggling against it. "The little bitch deserves everything she's gonna get!"

He set her down and stood in front of her, trying to block her view of her intended target. "Sango," he yelled, gaining her attention. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

"I should be asking you the same question, you bastard!" a male voice called from behind me. The four of us turned back towards Yura and Kikyo as they struggled to their feet, to see Inuyasha laying a protective hand on his girlfriend's shoulder. His golden eyes glared at us. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Its all her fault!" Sango screamed, pushing against Kouga's arm trying to fling herself at the girl once more. "That bitch needs to be taught a lesson."

Kikyo seemed unfazed by her words. "I still have no idea what you are talking about." Inuyasha glanced between us and the dark-haired girl at his side.

"You know exactly what we're talking about," I stated in a calm manner, but the burning desire for revenge was evident in my eyes. "You told Ayame's grandfather about Yura's party and now she can't go."

I think she smirked at my words. "Oh, yes, of course. The old man was quite angry when I told him his granddaughter was drinking and sleeping around. I'm surprised you are still enrolled in this school," she said, turning her gaze to Ayame.

I took a step forward. "You know thats not true. She would never sleep around. Unlike you, she actually has morals."

"Whats that supposed to mean?" Inuyasha asked, stepping protectively in front of her and staring me down. "Maybe you should get your facts straight before pointing fingers. How do you know she hasn't done it?"

Ayame looked appalled and took a step back in shock. "I would never do that!"

Kouga growled and stood in front of me, causing me to peek around him to see Inuyasha's face. His eyes never left mine. "Can it, dog-breath," my boyfriend yelled. I felt his muscles tense as he readied himself for a long overdue fight. "They ain't no liars. She on the other hand has some explaining to do." His piercing eyes glanced at Kikyo before looking at Inuyasha once more.

His amber spheres continued to stare at me, as if an unseen message was passed through our eyes. "I think we all have a little explaining to do," he said coldly, as if the statement was directed to me alone.

I stared at him for a moment longer before breaking eye-contact and grasping Kouga's arm. "Come on," I said, my gaze looking anywhere but the silver-haired man before me. "He's not worth it." In truth, that sentence was a complete lie.

Sango had cooled off by this time and Ayame had taken control of her tears. "You're right, Kags," the red-head said, squeezing my shoulder gently. "They'll get what they deserve. It's called Karma," she whispered to me, earning a small giggle in response. She always knew how to cheer someone up.

"Thanks, Ayame," I said with a smile, feeling Kouga wrap his arm around my waist. Sango came up beside us and began running through all the threats of what she would do to Kikyo if something like this ever happened again.

I felt someone's gaze on me and I turned around, watching as Kikyo and Yura cleaned themselves up and hobbled to their dorm to take care of the girl's injuries. But Inuyasha waited for a moment, caught my eyes, and then shook his head sadly before proceeding after them. I felt an ache in my heart and tears built up behind my eyes.

Even after five years of hatred towards one another and little contact, I could not deny that it hurt to even catch a glimpse of him. Sometimes I wish things had worked out between us. After all, I had loved him. I even believed he was my soul mate. I sighed and turned around, trying to tune into my friends' conversation.

I guess some things just aren't meant to be.

A/N: Alright, here is another chapter. I think there will be two more before chaos ensues. Hope you liked and please leave a review!


	6. Emotional Struggle

**Somewhere Beyond This**

**Chapter 6: Emotional Struggle**

Sometimes I can't help but be irritated by everything. Unfortunately for me, today happened to be one of those days.

"Attention class," Totosai said, trying to gain the eyes of my peers. The gossiping continued and conversations refused the cease as the old man tried to settle everyone down. Even Sango and Kouga refused to be silent.

I wanted to go home, to crawl back into bed, and start over. But I couldn't do that. The events from yesterday were still fresh in my mind and it seemed lately that Inuyasha was always on my thoughts. And there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it.

And then the ordeal with Ayame unable to come on the trip and the chaos that insued with my brother's partying didn't help matters. Why couldn't life be fair? Why did it always have to bring me down, right when I thought I was going to reach the top?

Damn them all to hell.

"Would you shut up?!" I yelled, turning around to glare at my classmates. Everyone stopped mid-conversation to stare at me, wide-eyed.

But it was Inuyasha's eyes that seemed to make my heart pound faster. Totosai scratched his head as he took a few steps away from me. "Uh ... thank you, Kagome." He seemed uncomfortable at my sudden outburst, but quickly took matters into his own hands once more. "As I was trying to say, I need all of the students that plan to attend the trip to sign on a sheet the administration has provided. Please stay after class to do so." With that, he turned around and went back to discussing a test we were to take in a few days.

Inuyasha's eyes still hadn't left mine and neither of us refused to back down. "Kagome," Sango called, nudging me and causing my gaze to fall. I turned to her, my pent up fury shining in my eyes and my cheeks flushed from staring at the man who broke my heart.

"Yeah?" I asked, swiveling my body to make a point to the man behind me.

"Do you know if we have enough money yet?" she asked, leaning her cheek against her hand.

I shook my head. "I have no idea. Rin was in charge of that." Glancing over, I could see the girl was trying to pay attention to the professor, but the starry look in her eyes indicated she was lost in a daydream.

Sango turned around and giggled at the bubbly girl's appearance. "Rin!" she whispered over the room, hoping to catch her attention. "Psst, Rin!" It seemed to no avail.

However, Ayame appeared to have heard our call and gave us a thumbs-up. What was she up to? Moments later, she crumpled up a sheet of notebook paper and threw it towards Rin. The paper ball bounced off the back of her head, surprising the girl. "What?" she gasped, looking around at who had been so rude as to wake her from her thoughts. Sango and I waved sheepishly, holding back our fits of giggles. "What do you want?"

"How much money?" I whispered, making sure the old man couldn't hear me.

She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. Seriously, do I have to do everything? I smacked myself in the forehead and sighed. "Higurashi!" the professor yelled. I guess he heard our conversation after all.

I gulped. "Uh, yes Mr. Totosai?" You do not want to mess with him. He tends to have a bad temper.

"What is the answer to the question I just asked?" He stepped in front of my desk and glared at me with his big eyes.

Kouga crossed his arms. "Moronic old man. You didn't ask a question."

That probably wasn't the best thing to say at a time like this. Either Totosai will forget what he was saying, or whack my boyfriend using some kind of blunt object. "You ignorant child!" he yelled. I guess our luck just about ran out. He took his walking stick and moved so fast, none of us could follow him. He trudged up the stairs and whipped Kouga upside the head, leaving a bump behind.

Kouga rubbed the offended area while grumbling about old men and their tempers. Actually, if you think about it, him and Inuyasha are similar in some ways. Especially when it comes to rude behavior and ignorant remarks.

Inuyasha snickered at my boyfriend's predicament. Gosh, sometimes I wish I could melt away.

Luckily, the class was saved from having to experience another all-out-brawl between Kouga and Inuyasha as the bell rang, signaling the end of the period. I sat at my desk with my head in my hands, listening to the sounds of my classmates talking and collecting their things before leaving. I felt completely unstable, as if any moment I would break down right then and there, crying tears of heartache that have built up over the years.

I slightly shook my head. No, I wouldn't allow them to see how weak I was. With a deep sigh, I finally began to gather my books and stuffed it into my bag. "Hurry up, Kags," Sango called. I glanced up to see my best friends waiting by the teacher's desk. Rin was in the process of scribbling her name on the sign-up sheet.

I put on a brave smile and sauntered over to them. "You have to sign up before all the spots are filled," Ayame said, handing me her pen and pushing my hand towards the sheet.

"Alright, alright," I giggled, amused by her persuasive actions. Even though she wasn't able to go, it was nice to see her eager to see us off. I wrote down my name right before I felt someones hand on my shoulder. I looked up to be met with piercing blue eyes, causing my heart to hammer in my chest.

"Hey," Kouga greeted, smiling crookedly. I returned the gesture and stepped aside to allow him access to the sheet. He quickly wrote down his name next to mine and handed the pen back to Sango. "I'm off this hour. Want to go grab a bite to eat?"

He entwined his fingers with mine, rubbing his thumb affectionately across the back of my hand. "Sure," I replied.

"I've got to go do something first," Ayame intervened. "And I know Sango and Rin have class. Why don't I meet you guys later?"

I think I heard Sango groan. But for once, I didn't mind that one of my friends was interrupting me and Kouga's alone time. And for some reason, it scared me that I felt this way. After all, I should be happy to spend some time with my boyfriend ... right? "Yeah, we'll meet you at the Campus Corner Cafe."

I didn't miss the look of irritation that flashed across Kouga's face, but I decided to ignore it. With a round of 'see you later's,' Kouga pulled me out the door. His hand found its way around my waist as he held me close. I stole a glimpse of his face, noting the scowl and furrowed brows. "Kouga?" I mumbled hesitantly, unsure if I should approach the subject.

"What?" he snapped, his eyes never leaving the expanse of hallway before us.

I pulled away from him. "Jeez, what's your problem?"

He glared at me for a moment, stopping us from proceeding further. After a few seconds of searching his facial expression with my arms crossed, I saw his features soften and a sigh escaped his lips. He rubbed the back of his head in exasperation. "I just ... I would like to spend some time with my girlfriend alone. Is that a crime?"

"No," I replied instantly, a little ticked about his behavior. "But Ayame is my friend. Its not like we never get alone time."

He dropped his hand and balled it into a fist. "Actually we don't. Ever since Totosai mentioned the trip, you've been hanging out with them constantly. I'd like to see more of you then just a pass in the hallway, ya know!"

I frowned and musted up the best glare I could give. "Well, sorry," I shouted, probably attracting attention to myself. "I was only trying to raise some money so I can go on this trip. I don't have a rich father who will give me anything I want."

Oops. Me and my big mouth. Kouga looked as if he just got slapped in the face. His eyes darkened. "Well if I'm such a stuck-up rich boy, then why do you stick around?" His words were cold, almost frightening.

I shrunk back, the anger dissipating, quickly being replaced by forthcoming tears. "Fine," I replied, déjà vu seeming to collapse upon me. Without another word, I turned around and walked quickly down the hallway before ducking around another corner. I wanted to escape, to pretend as if me and the one man who had stood by me, didn't have another fight. We had been doing that a lot lately. Arguing over stupid things before it turned into an all out screaming session.

I waited until I was securely locked inside a bathroom before putting my head in my hands and crying softly, releasing my heart's turmoil. To be honest, I had only had two real love interests in my life. And they both managed to break me.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

"Are you sure you're okay?" Sango asked that night as we walked back from the girls' shower room.

I gave a fake smile. "I'm positive. That thing between me and Kouga was stupid. We'll be fine in a few days, I promise." I never knew my words were a lie.

She looked wearily at me. "Yeah, thats what you always say, but every time you and him fight, you guys avoid each other for days. Then he comes crawling back with an apology."

I shivered as we made our way down the hallway. After all, we were wrapped up in only towels and the air conditioning must have been set to full. "Yeah, I know," I replied, inserting a key into our door and unlocking it. "We always manage to come back to our senses. It'll all work out, trust me."

Sango shut the door behind us and set her things on the bed. "Yeah, but-"

"No buts," I cut her off, turning around and setting my hands on my hips. "Lets just drop it, okay?" Why did my friends have to be so wrapped up in my love life, seriously?

"Sure," she replied hesitantly, her face falling. It was obvious that she was quite upset with the fact that I didn't divulge my deepest secrets to her. After all, she was my best friend, but there were just some things I preferred to deal with on my own.

I dropped my threatening stance and went about rummaging around for my pajamas. "What did Rin say about the money?" I asked after a few minutes of awkward silence.

"She said we have just enough for the three tickets," she bit back bitterly. "Any other money we raise by then will be put towards other expenses."

I stopped what I was doing, dropping my clothes on the bed before turning around to look at her. "What's your problem?"

"My problem?" she asked harshly, turning to glare at me. "My problem is that my best friend refuses to talk to me about anything. I know something is wrong and that you're hurting, and it pisses me off that you won't give me the chance to help."

I was shocked, to say the least. Never had I been the victim of Sango's fury, which I had been grateful for, but now that I was ... I felt my heart breaking at the sound of her voice. She was truly bothered by me isolating my feelings. "Sango, I'm sorry-"

"Thats not good enough," she yelled. With a sigh, her anger vanished and was replaced by a saddened, yet weary mask. "Look," she replied, sitting on my bed and motioning for me to do the same. "I'm your best friend and I want you to know that I'm here for you if you need me. I hate to see you beat yourself up over things and not tell anyone why."

I smiled gently at her. Her words were the truth and I knew they came from her heart. After all, when she had lost her mother a while back, she had closed herself up. If it hadn't been for Ayame, Rin, and me, who knows what would have happened. "I'm sorry, Sango. Really, I am."

She grinned softly, glad to have gotten through to me. "Just please promise me you'll talk to me now and again." I nodded in approval. "Good. Now lets get some sleep. I've got a History test tomorrow and I need plenty of rest if I expect to do good."

"You'll still fail," I joked, receiving a light slap on the arm. I laughed in response before gathering my pajamas and ducking into the small bathroom to change. Even though I hadn't told Sango anything about mine and Inuyasha's break-up, or the feelings swirling around in my heart when I thought of Kouga, it felt better to know she was there if I needed her.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

**_Days later ..._**

I stepped through the library doors and was greeted by eerie silence. That's why I usually tried to steer clear of the place. For some reason, the rows and rows of books accompanied by the librarian's stare always gave me the creeps.

I glanced around the area, looking for the person who had asked me here. I wondered why he wanted me to meet him in a place that's very restricted on talking, but I merely shrugged. As long as it patched things up between us, I didn't really mind.

A few students occupied the tables, either scribbling down notes or reading books related to their course studies. I often found myself doing just that, but I preferred the comfort of my own dorm. Although, sometimes it was hard to study with your roommate constantly talking and creating drama. Oh well, that's what you get for bunking with your best friend.

Just as I was about to leave, I glimpsed him sitting alone at a corner table. I took a deep breath to gather my nerves before hesitantly making my way over to where he sat. "Hey," I whispered, setting down my bag and taking a seat beside him.

Kouga turned to me, a smile on his lips. "There you are," he mumbled in return and I could hear relief in his voice. What? Did he think I wouldn't show up?

"So why did you ask me here?" I gestured to the walls of the library with my eyes. It had been four days since our fight after biology class and we had taken to avoiding each other at all costs. That is, until he called me the night before asking me to meet him in the library during one of my free periods.

He sighed and turned to face me, giving me his full attention. "Listen Kags," he said softly. I cringed at the nick name. I never did like him using my name like that. It didn't sound right when he said it. "I'm sorry about the other day. I didn't mean to get all upset over something so stupid."

"Its okay," I replied, wanting to get this discussion over with.

"No, its not okay!" he practically shouted, earning us a glare from the librarian. He ignored her, but lowered his voice all the same. "I just ... " He sighed, gathering his thoughts. It was always hard for him to apologize because that meant he was the one at fault. "I shouldn't have gotten angry at you. They **are** your friends."

I placed a hand upon his. "Its alright, Kouga, really. I understand." I smiled at him, trying to convince him that everything truly was okay.

He returned the gesture and squeezed my hand affectionately. This is how it went between us. This was our understanding. We were together, we fought, and then one of us would make up in the end. But each time we went through this process, I felt a little more of my heart withdrawal from him, taking with it the feelings I felt for him. Slowly, over the past year, I had distanced myself from him. Not only was he possessive sometimes, but he just wasn't the man I wanted to spend my life with.

He lowered his lips to mine and kissed me softly, putting his apology more so into his actions then his words. I waited for the explosion of passion to burst forth from our lips, sending a fire cracker through my spine, causing my mind to blur and all thoughts of reality cease to exist. I waited for the kiss to take affect and bring me to Cloud Nine.

But those feelings never came.

A/N: Hope you liked it. Next chapter they start packing and board the plane. And then things will really take off. Unfortunately, I won't be able to update the next chapter until I return from Florida on April 12th. So this will have to make due until then, but you've got plenty to look forward to. Please review!


	7. Final Goodbye

To those I couldn't reply to:

BrucasLver92: Thank you very much for adding this story to your story alert list. I'm glad you like it so far.

cutestklutz: Thanks a bunch for adding this story to your favorite's list. Happy to see you're enjoying it.

**Somewhere Beyond This**

**Chapter 7: Final Goodbye**

I never knew bus rides could be so loud and irritating. Not only do you have to deal with the constant bumps in the road and smell of exhaust, but you have to listen to your classmates talk to each other, each of them raising their voices to be heard over the commotion.

I was lucky that I brought my headphones. They would be able to block out everyone else's conversation for the time being. I glanced out the window and watched the landscape fly by in a blur of green. I heard a scream from beside me and shifted my eyes, half intrigued as to what Sango was upset about this time. I shook my head at the red hand print splayed proudly across Miroku's face. Should have known the lecher would try something.

"Attention everyone," Totosai tried yelling over the roar of his students. I turned off my music, hoping I wouldn't have to screech at everyone to be quiet. Luckily, the old man knew what he was doing this time. "Silence!" he shouted, causing even the bus driver to slow down and glance in her rear-view mirror. Everyone blinked at him, all conversations quieted. Never expected the geezer to have it in him.

"Ahem." He cleared his throat and folded his arms, his big bug eyes leering at us from the front seat. "In about five minutes we will be pulling up to the airport. I'm sure your parents are already waiting to see you off. You will have twenty minutes to do as you please before meeting at Gate 3 where I will hand you your ticket." Yuka raised her hand. "Uh, yes?"

She sat up farther in her seat. "What about our luggage?"

"Oh, that's right." He pounded his fist into his hand and looked around for a moment before spotting Sesshomaru in the seat across from him. "Do you recall where the luggage is being kept?" he whispered to him.

Sesshomaru gave him a sideways glance. "Do you believe that this Sesshomaru would know where a foolish man placed the suitcases?" I couldn't see his face, for his back was facing me, but whatever he did sure frightened Totosai.

The old man backed away and seemed to be cowering against the window farthest from Inuyasha's brother. "R-right, of course," he stammered, obviously a bit scared of one of his former students. I shook my head.

"Dumb ass," I heard Kouga mumble from behind me. "All of our carry-on luggage is back here and the rest you stored in the compartments under the bus."

Our professor looked at him with a blank expression. "I did what?" He paused, as if thinking about his earlier actions that day. "Oh yes! That's right!" A collective groan swept over the bus. To think this man even had a job. "When we depart the bus, you will follow Sesshomaru and myself inside the airport. The luggage that you are not taking with you will be picked up by the airport baggage handlers. Any other questions?" No one said a word, probably because the building was looming just ahead and we didn't want to waste too much time with Totosai scrambling about to remember things. "Okay then, when the bus stops, follow me."

"Do you think we'll have time to grab a bite to eat before we get on the plane?" Rin whispered across the aisle. I shrugged. Although each of us were excited about the forthcoming trip, I couldn't help the foreboding feeling that had taken place in the pit of my stomach.

As the bus came to a complete halt, everyone immediately jumped out of their seats and rushed towards the door, leaving me and Sango stranded in the seats until everyone else left. "Come on, Kags," Kouga called, waiting patiently for the both of us to exit.

"Thanks," I mumbled, taking my place ahead of him. I hooked my purse on my shoulder as well as a small duffel bag I had packed with things to do on the plane ride. It was supposed to be a really long flight, although Totosai forgot to mention to us how many hours it would take. Miroku might know. I should probably ask him later.

Sunshine and the smell of gasoline greeted us as we stepped off the school vehicle. I coughed a few times, not too happy about the exhaust. But soon I would be up in the air, flying over a large expanse of ocean towards a new adventure. At least, that's what I hoped it was going to be. "Hey, Kagome," Ayumi called, waving me and Sango over. I smiled and trudged up to her, Kouga close behind me. Yuka and Eri were beside her, backpacks slung over their shoulders. "Are you excited about the trip?"

I nodded. "Yeah, its going to be great."

"I wonder who we'll be sitting next to on the plane ... " Eri mumbled, glancing over at Totosai as he hauled his carry on towards the building.

I giggled at his reaction, receiving curious stares from my friends. "Never mind," I said, waving it aside. "So, want to grab a bite to eat before we go?"

Sango shook her head. "Ugh, plane rides and food don't really do well with me."

"So you're not going to eat the entire way there?" I asked, a bit confused.

"Hey," Miroku called, walking over to us. "Maybe we should get going. Don't want to waste time standing around here."

I sighed. "Yeah, yeah. We're coming ... " We walked through the doors of the airport terminal and were greeted with crowds of people. "Busy much?"

"We're not the only ones going on a trip, Kagome," Ayumi said with an innocent look.

"I think she was being sarcastic," I heard Yuka whisper to her. I held back a smile.

While we walked through the building, we struggled to keep up with one another. Totosai said Gate 3, which happened to be on the opposite side of the long row of gates. Why couldn't the old man make the bus deport us on the correct side? "We've got about fifteen minutes," Miroku informed us, glancing at his watch. "Why don't Kouga and I take the bags to the right terminal and catch up with you guys in a few minutes?"

Sango and I exchanged glances. "You're going to carry all of our bags?" she asked with a raised brow.

He looked at us curiously. "Uh, yeah?"

Men can be so stupid sometimes. "Okay," I mumbled. "If you say so." The six of us girls threw our bags into their hands and stepped back, no longer able to see their faces.

"Hurry up and come back. We'll be over here," Eri said with a giggle, pointing towards a small cafe. We heard a muffle of a reply from behind the suitcases and our laughter grew before we watched them stumble towards the correct gate. At least, I think that was the right direction.

"Lets just grab something and go," Rin suggested. "By the time they get back, it'll be too late."

"I guess you're right," Sango said with a pout. She really was enjoying the time harassing Miroku. Pay back's a bitch, isn't it?

We ordered some snacks to go (we all happened to have a sweet tooth, which amounted to cookies and chips) and began walking back to the third gate, only to see Kikyo and Inuyasha standing off to the side in their own little world. My chest started aching and an angry fire lit within me. "Hey, isn't that Yash and Kikyo?" Ayumi pointed out, bringing my friends' attention to the couple. Please, let the earth swallow me whole.

"Yeah, you're right," Yuka said, peering over at him as we passed.

I continued to face forward, pointedly ignoring him. Why should I care if he was smacking lips with Kikyo? "Hey guys!" Miroku came running up to us, clearly out of breath, with Kouga on his heels. "Wh-what happened t-to the food?" He stopped before us and placed his hands on his knees.

Rin held up our bag of treats. "Sugar or salt?" she asked with a serious expression.

Kouga came next to me and wrapped his arm around my waist. "What the hell?" he asked dully. "You expect us to eat that crap?"

"Either that or the airplane food," Eri said before she, Ayumi, and Yuka walked passed them, snickering.

"I suppose it will have to do," Miroku said dejectedly, grabbing a bag of potato chips and began walking towards Gate 3, Sango and Rin following close behind.

My boyfriend placed both of his arms around me. "Hey beautiful," he greeted with a dazzling smile. Although, to me it wasn't so dazzling. "You excited?"

I forced a grin. "Of course," I replied with a hint of excitement. "I'm always excited to go and visit America on a class trip."

His smile faltered for a moment. Bet you any money that he was talking about the time we would be able to spend alone together at the hotel. Totosai was our chaperon, along with Sesshomaru, but did anyone really believe that they would either care or remember to watch after us college students? Probably not. Nonetheless, his smile had returned in a moment and his eyes were focused solely on mine. "That's not what I was talking about," he mumbled in a suggestive voice. He placed his lips against mine in a tender kiss and, even though it felt a bit awkward, I kissed him back.

"Come on, you love birds!" I heard Sango call from a few feet away. "We've got a plane to catch!"

I dropped my face from his and casted my eyes downwards. "We should go," I simply stated, pulling out of his arms and walking in the direction of our plane. I only had a few seconds alone before his hand slipped into mine and gave it a tight squeeze. I sighed. Did you ever notice how confusing love can be? Or not be? I shook my head to get rid of the migraine that was beginning to form. Oh, why couldn't life be simple?

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

When we were told that our parents would be waiting for us, I had expected my mother to be there with a hug waiting. I did **not **expect to see my mother standing there with two large suitcases and Ayame by her side. I stepped away from my group of friends to greet her. "Hey mom," I whispered to her, immediately embracing her. "Whats with the extra baggage?"

She smiled at me. "Oh, they're just some extra things me and Sango's father packed for you girls."

"Thanks, I guess," I said with a sheepish smile. "But all of our luggage has already been loaded and I don't think these will fit in the carry-on compartments."

Ayame shook her head. "Actually, we already spoke with the security. They have a special holding room in the back for extra baggage. So its all taken care of."

I grinned and enveloped her into a hug. "You guys are great. Didn't expect to see you here though."

She stepped away and quickly glimpsed our friends behind us. "I just wanted to see you off and wish you good luck on your trip." She handed me some extra money and squeezed my hand shut. "Buy me a souvenir?"

I nodded. "Of course."

"Gate 3 - destination Los Angeles, California - now boarding," a man announced over the intercom.

The three of us glanced up at the voice before gazing at each other once again. "Well, thats my cue."

"Goodbye, dear," my mother said, enveloping me in a brace once more. "Take care of yourself."

"Yeah," Ayame chimed in, giving me a hug as well. "I'll be waiting to hear all about your adventures."

I grasped both suitcases in each hand and smiled a final farewell. "Don't worry, I'll be back before you know it." For some reason, those words seemed like a lie on my tongue. With a wave, I walked towards our gate with the new suitcases in tow and met up with Kouga, who had grabbed my other bag. I listened to the happy conversations my friends were having around me.

I looked back to where my mother and Ayame stood, waving a goodbye to me. I nodded to them before stepping through the gate and walking through the tunnel to the plane. And then a feeling took over the pit of my stomach. Wanting to turn around and run back to the safety of your mother's arms is never a good thing. But what could I do? My ticket was paid for, my luggage boarded, my friends waiting expectantly for me. I continued walking, watching as the two women disappeared when the doors closed. There was no turning back.

A/N: Hope you liked this chapter. Its a bit short and kind of a filler, but its setting the stage for the next chapter.


	8. Crash and Burn

**Somewhere Beyond This**

**Chapter 8: Crash and Burn**

A jerk of the plane woke me up. My eyes were met with the dark hues of night just outside the window. I lifted my head off the pillow and repositioned myself. "Damn it," I mumbled as I stretched my limbs. I was in a bad mood, to say the least. My legs were cramped, my neck was stiff, and sleep was absent to me. A growl sounded from my stomach. I sighed. No matter how many bags of peanuts I ate, they refused to quench my hunger. "When is the dinner tray coming?" I asked Sango, who occupied the seat next to me.

I turned towards her only to find her sound asleep, as well as the rest of my classmates. I blinked a few times to get rid of the drowziness and turned on one of the dim lights overhead. I guess I would just have to find a stewardess myself. With a yawn, I rose from my seat and struggled to get by Sango to reach the aisle. I stretched my arms above my head and glanced around at our compartment. The only one of my friends who weren't asleep was Rin. Actually, come to think of it, I don't recall her ever going to sleep. "Hey," I whispered to her, but she didn't hear me, too lost in whatever she was reading.

I shrugged and began walking towards the front of the plane, only to hear a loud thump before I could take my first step. I immediately stiffened. Turning around, I tried to pinpoint where the sound came from and heard it again. "Watch it," someone mumbled, barely enough for me to hear. I quirked an eyebrow. Come to think of it, that voice sounded like a kid.

Considering that everyone else was asleep and I didn't see any danger presence, I gathered my nerves and began walking towards the back of the plane where some of the extra luggage had been stored. "Hey, unzip me!" a second voice whispered anxiously. A thump came afterwards as I neared the curtain to the room. "Finally, I can breathe!"

What the hell was going on? I swallowed pass the lump in my throat and grasped the curtain, ready to fling it open. "I'm starving," a third voice complained. How many of them were there? And who were they? What were they doing? A million thoughts raced around in my head as I listened to their mumbled conversation about food and cramped places.

Aggravated by the childish antics and already in a foul mood, I frowned and pulled the curtain away to reveal what was hidden behind it. My eyes widened and my jaw immediately dropped. Kohaku, Souta, and Shippo stopped their actions on my entrance and gazed up at me with fearful eyes. "Uh ... hey sis," my brother said, giving me a nervous smile.

I was absoultely speechless. My brother and his friends were on the plane! I glanced behind them to see the two large suitcases that my mom and Sango's father had packed for us. Could the little brats be that stupid as to stowaway in our suitcases for an eighteen hour flight? "What the hell are you doing here?!" I yelled, no longer caring how loud my voice was. "Are you out of your minds?!"

I heard a wave of murmurs behind me and I knew I had woken up almost the entire plane. "Whats going on, Kags?" I heard Sango say as she jogged up behind me. If they thought my voice was loud, they have yet to hear Sango. "Is everything alright?" Her words trailed off as her eyes landed on her younger brother.

"Mind telling us what you're doing here?" I asked, crossing my arms. Maybe I could buy us some time with asking a few questions. We don't want Sango to go ballistic.

Shippo gulped. "It was their idea, I swear!" he yelled, pointing at our brothers.

Sango placed her hands on her hips. "What is the meaning of this, Kohaku?" she asked a strangely calm voice. Uh-oh. I'd rather have her screaming.

"Well," he stuttered, swallowing hard. "We wanted to come with you guys and mom wouldn't let us-"

"-So we snuck into the suitcases that mom and Mr. Tajiya packed," Souta finished, looking everywhere but us.

I saw Shippo begin backing away out of the corner of my eye. "I bet it was initially you're idea, wasn't it Shippo?" I glared at him.

He stiffened and gave a curt nod. Obviously he didn't want to be the victim of our wrath. Sango shook her head and leaned against the door frame. "Do you know how stupid that was?" she asked. When the boys only looked at her, she continued. "Ms. Higurashi and dad are probably at home worried sick about you."

"We were going to call them when we got there," Souta quickly announced, as if that would solve all of our problems.

"This was utterly pointless," I reasoned. "The moment that we would have found out you did this, we would have sent you on the first plane home. What did you think to accomplish with all of this?"

Shippo bit his lip and appeared as if he was going to cry. "We just wanted to have an adventure. Us little guys never get to do anything."

"You're not old enough to do these things yet," Sango replied. Her voice was softer now, as if she felt sorry for them.

I sighed. "We're going to have to tell the pilots about this. We might even have to turn around."

She shook her head. "Miroku told me we're pass the halfway point. We would have to wait until we land in America to get this all sorted out."

"Great," I moaned. I must say that my brother can be a real pain in the ass. I mean, seriously, how many girls had their brother and his friends crash a college party, sneak onto a plane, and not think about the consequences? Kids these days.

A lurch of the plane stopped our little spat and we glanced at one another. "This is the pilot speaking," a male voice said over the intercom. "We're just hitting a bit of turbulence. If everyone would please return to your seats and fasten your seatbelts, we'll be through it in no time."

"Now what?" I asked Sango, wondering what we were supposed to do with the three brats.

"We'll have to sit them on our laps, I suppose." We watched as they climbed to their feet and stared at the ground. "Come on, you three, lets go."

Sango and I walked back down the aisle towards our original seats, getting a few stares from random people. Although, my classmates' eyes were wide with disbelief. "What the hell are they doing here, wench?" I heard Inuyasha ask as we passed by him and Kikyo.

I glared at him. "That is none of your concern." He only glowered at me as I turned around and continued down the aisle. I reached our seats and sat down; Souta and Kohaku sat on our laps while I managed to get Kouga to take Shippo behind us.

"Hey, Kagome," my boyfriend called as we all buckled our seatbelts. "What are the runts doing here?"

I sighed. Really, did I always have to explain myself? "They snuck on," I called back. "I'll fill you in later."

That seemed to quell his curiousity for the moment, but I doubt he would leave me be once we were allowed to take our seatbelts off. We hit another bump of turbulance and it almost pushed us out of our seats. I looked outside, but it didn't do any good to see where we were at. It was pitch black out and no city lights could be seen. I presumed we were over the ocean.

And then that foreboding feeling returned. Personally, I've never been afraid of airplanes. It was usually a smooth flight and took half the time it would by car. But as the plane swayed back and forth, I couldn't help the fear rising within me. "This is your pilot speaking," a voice said over the intercom. "We are having slight problems. Please, do not panic."

I glanced over at Sango and Kohaku. The color had drained from their faces and a mumble of concern rang through our compartment. I heard Kouga swearing behind me and Rin was glancing around fervently for Sesshomaru. I peered up near the front row of seats to see Totosai shaking his head and Inuyasha's older brother was stotic as ever.

Another bump. Suddenly, a strange whirring sound echoed through the plane and oxygen masks dropped from their compartments. "What the hell?!" Inuyasha yelled from far behind me. It was complete chaos. Everyone began screaming and yelling, grasping frantically for the yellow masks. Sango, Kouga, and I put the masks around the kids' mouths.

"Whats going on, Kagome?" Souta shouted. I could detect the fear in his voice as the plane continued to sway.

"I don't know," I yelled over the commotion. My eyes drifted over the people around me, everyone panicing and screaming, some were praying.

Suddenly, I felt our seats thrust forward as the plane began to nosedive. I couldn't scream. I couldn't speak. All I could do was watch the other passengers shriek to the heavens. Static took over the intercom and the whirring sound from earlier increased ten fold. I tightened my arms around my younger brother and desperately tried to find Sango's hand.

Without warning, our seatbelts released, allowing passengers to fly forward and hit the front of the compartment. All of the lights went off as everyone tried to hold onto their seats or else be thrown forward. "Don't let go!" I yelled to Souta, finally able to find my voice.

This was it. The end was drawing near. I saw my life flash before my eyes and couldn't help but feel regret for things I never did. I wanted to run over to Inuyasha and make amends before our time was through, but he was behind me. The sheer velocity of the plane wouldn't allow me to turn my head.

I felt air rush at us as the doors were ripped open while the pilots tried to steady the plane. I squinted my eyes against the wind, keeping my eyes trained on Souta's face. My fingers slipped. My arms could no longer hold onto my brother. "Kagome," he said desperately, his eyes wide with fear as gravity tried to pull him away from me.

Our arms released on their own accord and nothing but our hands were linking. I held onto my seat in desperation, turning my head to glance at my classmates. I saw Sango tumbled forward with Kohaku teld tight in her arms, her eyes pinched shut, waiting for the pain of impact. Eri screamed as she flew towards the front of the plane before being sucked out of the door into the darkness beyond.

"Kikyo!" I heard Inuyasha yell behind me. In only a few seconds I saw her fly over me, her form tumbling with the air currents before disappearing into the first class compartment through the curtain-less arch.

I finally turned my eyes back to my brother, feeling my grip loosen with each passing moment. "Don't let go," I tried to yell, but found my voice was lost with the wind. Our hands slipped as our fingers held on to one another. The next few seconds went by in slow motion. Our fingers released and my eyes widened. I watched Souta fall backwards towards the front of the plane, his hand reaching towards mine before he hit the mounted television.

All rational thoughts escaped me as I clung to the seat in front of me. "Souta!" I screamed above the noise, slowly moving towards the aisle. I had to reach him. He was my little brother. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to him. Before I could stop myself, I fell forward, slamming into the wall just beside him. I reached out my hand, trying to touch his unconscious form, when suddenly the plane pulled upwards. We were no longer nose-diving, but instead we were almost level with the ground.

The aircraft jerked forward as we impacted into the ocean, causing me to fly out the door and into the water below. I screamed, watching Souta fade from my vision. The cold ocean silenced me as I plumeted deeper and deeper into the dark abyss, watching the plane burst into flames as it disappeared behind the haze of water. I despearately flung my hands about, trying to reach the surface, but the currents dragged me farther down and I found myself struggling for breath.

I knew death was peaceful. That when you died, all of your worries were gone and happiness was the only thing you felt. But I was still young. I had my whole life to live. Was this how it was all going to end? I gulped for air, my lungs burning with the desire for breath. I knew it was hopeless.

As I began to close my eyes to give into Death's wish, I saw a silouhette against the burning fire above the surface. The person seemed to trudge the water with ease and wrapped his arms around me. My consciousness wavered and a flash of silver caught my eyes before I gave into the darkness.

A/N: How was that? Now the story will really take off. Sorry for taking so long, but relationships had to develop. Hope you enjoyed and please leave a review to let me know how you like it. Thanks!


	9. Missing

To those I couldn't reply to:

YASHA101: Well, I hope that you still continue to read this. Just because I wrote that some people were flung about the plane doesn't mean that they died. If you read on, you may just figure out who is still alive. Besides, how can I kill off any of the main characters right away? As for the rafts, the passengers were buckled in when the plane began to nosedive. There was really no time for them to get on rafts or any other rescue device. Personally, I hate deaths as well, but some stories need deaths to progress. After all, how can you have a survival story if there isn't some tragedy involved? Anyways, thanks for reading and reviewing. Glad you liked it ... somewhat ...

inu+kaglover4ever: Sheesh, okay, okay! Sorry it took so long to come out. I was debating on which direction to take it. But I hope this suffices and holds you over until the next update. I'm happy to see that you're enjoying it so much. lol.

**Somewhere Beyond This**

**Chapter 9: Missing**

There was a strange throbbing sensation. I couldn't exactly pinpoint where it was coming from, but I knew it was there. It was like a dull ache that refused to go away, even after a period of time had elapsed. And then there was the burning. My chest felt as if it would explode, as if fire was eating away at me from the inside out.

A black void had consumed my vision, leaving me alone to dwell on the pain around me. Or was it within me? I could no longer tell. I couldn't think straight and my body refused to move. It seemed as though I was paralyzed, strapped to something soft and cool.

Wait ... soft and cool? Don't get me wrong, the brush of chilled blankets comforted the flaming aura surrounding me. But at the same time, I knew that it wasn't exactly as painful as it should have been. After all, I was in great agony ... wasn't I?

"Breathe, damn it!"

Someone spoke. A male voice. It was familiar too, but I just couldn't place where I had heard it before.

A thrust was given to my chest, over and over again. Feeling began to return to my body and I felt cool water coming to the base of my throat.

"Don't you die on me!" the person shouted again. His warm lips began to caress mine in a kiss, and I tried to fervently return the gesture, but it was of no use. It was only a second later that I realized he wasn't kissing me. In fact, he was breathing air through my mouth directly to my lungs.

He was trying to save my life.

"Come on, Kagome," I heard him plea as he removed his lips from mine and began putting pressure against my chest once more. His voice softened a degree, as if losing hope.

And then I felt a wave of determination flow through me. I would live, if only to see the man behind the voice and to reassure that concern in his tone. I fought through the blackness, finding the will to move my limbs and felt water begin to burst forth from my throat.

Suddenly, I felt the haze fade from my mind at the same time I coughed, the salt water spewing from my mouth onto the ground beside me. The man's voice had quieted and the thrusts were no longer present. A hand circled my neck to support my head, helping me sit upright.

"Easy," someone mumbled. "You okay?"

I struggled to nod, but I was still trapped in the darkness. Wanting to see the person behind the alluring voice, I slowly opened my eyes. My vision swirled as I blinked repeatedly, coughs still reverberating from my throat.

Amber. Such an intensity of color mixing with the shadows in the distance. The eyes of my savior were outlined by a silver mane of hair, brushing softly against his cheek as the breeze touched us. I smiled, glad to be able to put a face to the voice, glad that I was out of the darkness.

And then my fantasy came crashing down.

"Inuyasha?" I mumbled, finally coming to reality and realizing who my knight in shining armor was.

The concern disappeared from his eyes, replaced by a cold mask of emotionless facade. "Keh," he growled out, quickly setting me down upon the ground once more. "'Bout time you woke up."

He stood up and moved away, leaving me to watch after him. Who the hell did he think he was? "Wait," I called out hoarsly, quickly sitting up on my hands and knees. Glancing down, I realized that the soft and cool blanket I had felt before was not a blanket at all. Rather it was sand. Looking about my surroundings, I realized we were on a beach. A deserted beach, might I add. But I suppose that would have something to do with the moon hovering overhead.

My eyes slid to the vast ocean as it lapped gently against the sand, its waves crashing in the tide. As far as I could see, no civilization was apparent. Tearing my gaze away from the beauty of nature, I glimpsed Inuyasha walking away from me. "Wait," I yelled again, standing up and running towards him. "Inuyasha!"

He glared at me from the corner of his eye. "What?" he grounded out, not taking the time to slow down.

"What's going on?" I asked, pushing a stray lock of hair out of my eyes. "Where are we? How did we get here?" My throat ached from the salt water and I had trouble forming coherent words.

It sounded like some kind of grunt came from his throat. "Would you stop with the questioning already?" he demanded, obviously annoyed with my curiousity.

I frowned. "Well, excuse me for waking up to find you hovering over me like some protective dog, on a beach, at night, in the middle of nowhere!"

He stopped dead in his tracks, causing me to almost collide into him. A sigh escaped his lips as he turned around to face me, his hand massaging his forehead. "Look," he began, his brows furrowed. "I know just about as much as you do. The plane crashed into the ocean and we all got thrown from it. You were close by so I grabbed your sorry ass and swam to the nearest shore."

The anger that had lit within me moments before completely dissipated at his confession. "You saved me?" I whispered, my expression softer. He crossed his arms and looked away. "Why?"

"Would you rather have drowned?" He peered at me, already know my answer.

I turned my head away from him. After five years of bickering between us, when it came down to it, he would save my life, even if it meant risking his own. "Thank you," I mumbled quietly.

"Keh," was his only response. I could have sworn I saw a blush cross his cheeks, but with the shadows created by moonlight, I couldn't be sure. "Let's go."

I stared in shock as he turned around and began walking along the beach once more. "Wait, what? Where are we going?"

"To find the others," he replied over his shoulder. I bit my lip as I fell into step behind him, not wanting to question his words. But the nagging thought at the back of my mind demanded an answer.

How did he know that the others were even alive?

I shuddered and shook my head to get rid of the awful thoughts. I had to keep positive, otherwise, I didn't think I'd be able to survive.

We trudged down the length of the beach, trying to steer clear of the water. I wrapped my arms around myself in order to keep warm. The cool breeze we had felt moments earlier suddenly felt like ice against the wet fabric of my clothes. My jean shorts kept rubbing against my thighs, causing my skin to turn red with irritation. Probably should have worn comfortable pants instead. Oh well, there wasn't much that could be done about it now.

"Inuyasha?" I mumbled hesitantly, watching his back. He didn't turn to look at me, but I assumed he was listening. "Where are we going?"

"Down the beach a ways," he replied nonchalantly.

I peered at him with confusion and hurried to keep stride with him. "Why?" I probably shouldn't have asked, considering how annoyed he was already, but my curiosity got the best of me.

He folded his arms, keeping his gaze straight ahead. "When I pulled you to the surface, the currents took us away from the crash site."

I looked towards the direction we were headed. "So, you're hoping to find survivors near the coast of the plane?" When he didn't respond, I knew I was right. There could be a chance that my friends and my brother had survived. That was my only concern at the moment.

Finally, after what seemed like an hour of walking, we got to the edge of the coast, only to be met with the bright glow of flames dancing upon the ocean. "Oh no," I mumbled, my eyes wide with fear and shock. The plane was on fire, sending smoke into the midnight sky.

I froze. We were on that only moments before. All of our friends. My teacher, my classmates, my best friend, my boyfriend, my brother .... all of them ...

How could everyone have survived? Not to mention the other passengers apart from our group.

"We have to save them," I cried out, running to the water in an attempt to swim to the burning piece of metal.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled behind me, grabbing my arms to hold me back from making what could have been a fatal mistake.

I struggled against him. "Let me go! They need our help!"

"Damn it, woman! Would you just listen to me?" Something in his voice called to me and my struggling ceased. I felt my eyes sting with forthcoming tears.

"What is it?" I demanded, turning around to face him. "What could be more important than our friends' lives?"

He sighed and nodded his head in the direction behind us. I peered over his shoulder and my breath caught in my throat. People we scattered about on the beach, some laying down, a few sitting upright. However, there were only a handful of people who had been on the plane. What were the chances that my friends were among them?

"Souta!" I screamed, pushing out of Inuyasha's grasp and running towards the small crowd. My eyes searched fervently among the bodies, trying to find the dark-haired kid who I called my brother. "Souta!" I screeched again, feeling tears roll down my cheeks. I had to find him, I just had to.

A woman was sitting in the sand, her blond hair thrown over her shoulder as her eyes stared longingly at the fire in the middle of the ocean. "Excuse me," I called, crouching down beside her. "Have you seen a little boy with dark hair?"

She slowly shook her head, as if in a daze, before returning her gaze to the crash. She had lost someone dear to her, I could tell. But she shed no tears, too shocked to do much of anything at the moment. I presumed we all were. I got up and began searching the beach once again, calling out my brother's name.

"Kagome!" a woman yelled to me. I immediately whipped my head around to find Sango running towards me, arms wide open. We embraced in a tight hug. "Oh my gosh, I'm so thankful you're okay. I was so worried."

"Me too," I said quietly through my tears, putting her at arms length. Her clothes were wet, her hair a mess, and a few scratches on her arms and legs, but otherwise she appeared to be fine. "Have you seen our classmates?"

She nodded quickly. "They're over there," she said, pointing to the left of us. I turned to run off to them, but was stopped when she gripped my arm. "Kagome," she mumbled, catching my attention. "Some of them are still missing."

My heart missed a beat. My breath caught in my throat. Everything seemed to fog over as I tried to comprehend what she had said. Some of our friends on the plane were still missing. And even though I had said 'classmates,' she clearly understood that my brother, Kohaku, and Shippo were included in that category. We're they dead? We're they alive? We're they drifting in the ocean some miles away already? The uncertainty was tearing me apart.

"Souta?" I mumbled, unsure if I wanted to hear the answer. She released my arm and glanced over at where everyone was. I turned around, knowing she was following, and dared to gaze upon the familiar faces.

Miroku sat against a large boulder, his face twisted into a painful expression. His leg was crooked, bent in a sickening way. It was broken, that much was known, but otherwise he looked fine. "Sango, tend to Miroku's leg," I told her, knowing she wanted to be with him. An image of them kissing at Yura's party came flooding back and I felt my stomach churn with nausea. It was only a few weeks ago that we had been having the time of our lives.

I watched as my best friend tended to his wound, whispering comforting phrases into his ear. He would be alright for the time being. A cloth of some sort had been wrapped around his leg to control the bleeding. I turned my attention to the rest of the survivors. Rin, Sesshomaru, Yuka, and Ayumi seemed to be fine. They all sported bumps and bruises, but otherwise they were alright. "Rin," I called, coming to kneel beside her. "Are you okay?"

She coughed in response and looked at me, confusion in her eyes. "Are you talking to me?" Her voice was raspy from drinking in mouthfuls of seawater.

My brows furrowed. "Of course I am!" She didn't seem convinced.

"Who are you?" she asked hesitantly, appearing to shy away from me.

I gently pressed my hand on her shoulder. "Rin, its me, Kagome," I tried to persuade, smiling slightly to assure her I meant no harm. "Don't you remember?"

The young girl, who I called one of my best friends, shook her head and pushed away from me, out of my reach. "I don't know who you are, lady, but leave me alone! Mama told me never to talk to strangers."

Ignoring the moans and cries for help around me, I knelt down and peered at her curiously. "Rin," I addressed her again, tears coming to my eyes. "How old are you?"

"Seven and a half," she said proudly, smiling and nodding curtly.

I was speechless, to say the least. I stood up and backed away, holding a hand over my mouth to try and muffle the pained sobs. Tears fell down my cheeks, blurring my vision of the bubbly girl and her confused look. "Kagome?" I turned to see Sango walking slowly towards me, her eyes shifting between Rin and me. "Whats wrong?"

She came up beside me, close enough to hear me whisper. "She's forgotten," I mumbled almost incoherently. "She doesn't know anything."

My friend quirked an eyebrow. "What are you talking about, Kags?" she asked sternly, putting comforting hands on my shoulders.

"Rin thinks she's a child," I said a little louder, removing my hand from my mouth. "She must have bumped her head and has some kind of amnesia."

Sango released me and stood still, her eyes widening in shock. "Oh my gosh," was all she could say, glancing over at our best friend.

I shook my head. "There isn't anything we can do about it now," I persuaded, swiping away my tears. "Check on the other survivors. Some are injured and if you see my brother, let me know immediately." Although it took a moment for her to comprehend what I had said, Sango nodded affirmatively and strided towards the collection of strangers, their numbers totaling as three.

Fear gripped every nerve in my body. There was still no sign of Kohaku, Souta, Shippo, Mr. Totosai, Eri, Kouga, or Kikyo. I looked around quickly, my eyes shifting between the faces of the survivors.

"Let me go!" someone screamed from behind me. I whipped my head around to find Yuka staggering towards the ocean with Ayumi's arms locked firmly around her waist. "Eri! Please, no. Eri!" Yuka yelled out into the dark depths of the sea, screeching her friend's name.

I watched as she collapsed to the ground. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she clutched the sand into her hands, searching the burning plane as it sunk deeper into the ocean. "She's gone," Ayumi cried, holding Yuka close to her chest. "Oh kami, she's gone." They sat there and cried together, grasping one another for what little comfort they could bring.

Eri's shining face came back to me and my heart skipped a beat. Eri ... wonderful, happy, go-lucky Eri was gone, killed in a plane crash. I felt the tears well up behind my eyes and roll down my flushed cheeks, but I didn't make a sound. I turned away from the mourning duo and concentrated on the task at hand.

There were still others missing. My eyes scanned the collection of people. We were lucky that we had survived. Was it too much to ask for the others to have survived as well?

Tearing my gaze away from the beach, I looked longingly towards the ocean. The waves crashed upon the shore as the fire died on the water's surface, dragging the plane further down. Debris from the crash began floating towards us, landing upon the sand in bits and pieces. A breeze brushed over me and I glanced to my right.

Inuyasha stood a few feet away, his amber eyes trained on the sea before him. No doubt he was hoping to find Kikyo in the mist of the ocean's wrath. I sighed. I knew what it felt like. Your heart is split in two when you can't find a loved one. I returned my gaze to the water. They were missing and the possibilities of where they were was endless. Did the sea swallow them whole? Did the fire burn them to a crisp? Did the impact of the plane kill them instantly?

I took a deep breath and sighed again. There was a hollow feeling in my chest, as if someone had carved a hole where my heart used to be and tore all emotions away, leaving me numb from the loss. I closed my eyes and whispered into the night air, "where are you, Souta?"

A/N: I was going to make this chapter filled with more, but then it would have been too long. Hope you liked and please review!


	10. Stranded

To those I couldn't reply to:

BrucasLver92: Thank you very much for adding this story to your story alert list. I'm so glad you're enjoying it so far.

Inu4ever: Ha ha! Okay, sorry for the bit of a wait, but here it is. Hope you like it.

**Somewhere Beyond This**

**Chapter 10: Stranded**

Suitcases. Clothes. A handbag. Pieces of metal. An empty bottle.

The debris was endless.

Sango and I watched as the objects drifted through the water before ending up on the shore. They scattered at our feet, broken and burned from the crash. We were silent, as if mourning the death of those lost, and in a way we were.

The survivors behind us had curled up to each other for warmth, too weak and strained to look for firewood in the nearby forest. Who could blame them? The breeze chilled the night air and I shivered in response. We had been standing at the water's edge for a while now. How long? I didn't know. Time was absent to us.

I watched the waves crash against each other in the distance, carrying more garbage towards us. "Sango," I mumbled quietly, not taking my eyes off the ocean. "Do you think-"

"Don't," she cut me off, her voice soft but stern. I peered at her from the corner of my eye. Her gaze never left the water as she wrapped her arms around her shaking frame. "Don't say such things. They're alright, I just know it."

I smiled sadly. "Yeah," I murmured. "You're right." I could understand her pain. Both of our brothers were lost to the ocean depths. The image of Souta's face continued to haunt my every thought. He had looked so terrified when my grip loosened on him. I could still hear his voice as he called out my name. I felt the stinging of tears in my eyes and immediately dismissed the thoughts. I had to keep faith, I had to hold onto hope. Sango was right. The boys were alive, and so was Mr. Totosai, Kouga, and Kikyo.

At the thought of her, I glanced over at Inuyasha. He was quite a distance from us, still looking out into the ocean, but I could see his hands clutched tightly into fists. He was restraining himself from going to the crash site and searching for her body. After all, the plane had long sunk below the water and it would be suicide to go after it. But if he had risked his life to save mine, why wouldn't he do the same for Kikyo? It troubled me.

With a deep breath, I walked over to my ex-boyfriend, empathizing with him. I opened my mouth to call out his name, perhaps comfort him in some way, when I heard Sango cry behind me. "Kagome!" she yelled, her voice laced with relief. I whipped my head around, noting how Inuyasha followed suit, as well as the rest of the survivors. She was walking into the ocean, the water lapping at her knees, as she pointed excitedly towards the distance.

I followed her gaze, squinting to see through the darkness. A black form was floating towards us, but I couldn't make out what it was. Hesitantly, I moved towards her. Why was she so excited? We had each been involved in the crash, so the thought of someone's mentality breaking was always at the back of my mind. There was a strong chance one of us could lose control and break-down. But this was Sango we were talking about. If anyone could survive, it was her.

"Sango," I called, crossing my arms against the cold as the water lapped against my feet. She continued to trudge through the waves towards the object steadily coming closer. "What are you -" I couldn't finish my sentence. My mouth suddenly felt dry and a lump stuck in my throat. For a moment, all I could do was stare at her as she took hold of the dark form, trying to drag it to the shore.

It was a man. He seemed to have been floating on a piece of metal that had been torn from the plane. But to see a body in the middle of the ocean was nothing to smile about. What had my friend so relieved was the three small forms surrounding him. The debris was large enough to hold them all, but they appeared to have fallen unconscious. Without another thought, I raced into the water after her, ignoring the thrust of the waves against my skin.

Survivors. Thats the first word that came to mind. I dared to hope that after all this time, there were others who were still alive. I smiled and ran with all that I was worth, but as I came closer to the group, I realized something. There was a very slim chance that these people were not from our group. And even if they were, they had yet to make any movement to signal life amongst them. "Sango?" I called hesitantly, my steps slower now as I continued to wade to where she stood. The water was up to my waist, but I ignored the cold.

She turned to me, smiling, and if the moonlight hit her face just right, I could see the tears trailing down her cheeks. "They're alive," she mumbled breathlessly.

I strained to hear, but when she repeated the words, I was suddenly racing towards them once more. Who could it be? Sango began to pull the large piece of metal towards the shore just as I reached them. My eyes glanced over the four crumpled forms, but I couldn't tell who it was. The darkness of night and the smoke from the plane's fire had their identities concealed.

But they were still breathing. So with determination, Sango and I began to trudge back to shore, watching as each of the survivors began to stand up, wondering what was going on. My legs began to ache from the ocean's wrath and the weight of our metal baggage. To take my mind off the pain, I stole a glimpse at the bodies, trying to figure out who they might be. Three of them were smaller than the man, indicating that at least one or two could be children.

My heart dropped to my stomach. None of them aboard the debris was a woman. That meant Kikyo was not among them. I looked back up to see Inuyasha near the shore, shin-deep in water, watching as we waded towards him. He was hoping to find her. I knew he was and it hurt that I would have to witness the look on his face when he realized his girlfriend was not found.

"Come on, Kagome," Sango urged, snapping me out of my thoughts. "We're almost there." I continued to push and pull, using all my strength to make sure that these four people got to safety.

It seemed as if an hour had passed before I felt the water sink to my knees and level ground appeared beneath me. We pushed the large piece of metal onto the sand. The group of survivors who were able-bodied began to surround us, each wanting to know the identities of the people we brought in.

My breaths labored as I sunk down onto my knees into the sand, finally feeling the strain I had put on my legs. Sango's chest moved up and down as she greedily sucked in oxygen, but not once did she take her eyes off the unconscious boys. "Who is it?" I finally asked, daring to hope it was someone I knew.

The light in Inuyasha's eyes had faded. I suppose he realized Kikyo was not there. I stole a glimpse at him, pity showing in my eyes. I felt horrible. Of course it wasn't my fault that the plane crashed and only a few of us survived, but I somehow felt responsible for his pain. It wasn't easy losing someone you loved. At least, I think he loved her ...

"I'm not sure," Sango responded, snapping me out of my thoughts.

Rin came over, her steps hesitant and unsure. "Are they hurt?"

Yuka and Ayumi peered at the bodies, noting the way the strangers' chests rose and fell. "They're still alive," Yuka said.

"Well, why the hell are we standin' around?" Inuyasha growled, crossing his arms. "Lets find out who they are and get them off the shore."

Everyone stared at him and it took a moment for his words to sink in. "He's right," I replied, crouching over the group. I leaned over the largest of the bodies and began wiping the smoke and dirt off his face.

He stirred in his sleep, causing me to pull my hand back and my heart to pound in my chest. "Ka ... gome ..." he mumbled, his eyebrows furrowing at my name. So, it had to be someone I knew.

"Hey!" Inuyasha suddenly yelled. "Wake up, stupid!" When the person didn't comply, he kicked him in the ribs, making a gasp escape the man's lips.

"Inuyasha!" I yelled angrily, glaring at him. "Don't do that! He could be hurt!"

"Keh! As if anything could kill that mongrel." He turned away, letting his eyes trail across the ocean's surface once more.

Mongrel? The only person that Inuyasha ever called such names was my boyfriend. Could that mean ... ? My eyes widened at the realization as I turned them back towards the small group. "Kouga?" I mumbled. Sango turned to peer at my curiously, probably wondering how I knew who it was.

His eyes fluttered open, revealing a pair of icy blue orbs, glazed over with sleep. "What ... happened?"

I couldn't help the large smile that spread across my lips or the sting of tears as they threatened to fall. "Oh, Kouga!" I threw my arms around him and laid on top of him, over joyed by the fact that he was still alive. I felt him pat my back softly, whispering words of reassurance in my ears.

I glimpsed Sango out of the corner of my eye and caught a grin on her lips. "Well, if thats Kouga, who are the other three?"

Pushing myself off of him, I turned to look at the three other crumpled forms. Now that we were up close, I could tell that one was definitely a child because of his size. The other two, however, I wasn't too sure. They could be children, but their height threw off the estimated guess. Perhaps they were just very short adults. Whatever the case, the mystery would be solved in mere moments.

Yuka and Ayumi stooped down and began wiping the dirt off of two of the bodies while Sango bent down to the third. "Oh my gosh ... " she mumbled, her eyes widening. "Its Shippo."

"Shippo?" I echoed, jumping up and rushing over to where she knelt. Sure enough, the child had opened his emerald eyes and his shock of red hair could barely be seen through the dirt.

"Souta and Kohaku, too!" Ayumi declared. Sango immediately left my side and stumbled to where her brother was just regaining consciousness.

I copied her actions, sitting at my brother's side and bringing him into my arms. "Oh kami, Souta," I mumbled into his hair, biting my lip to hold back my tears. "I thought I lost you."

"Hey," he said, struggling against my grip. "Let go. I can't breathe." I immediately listened to his complaints, holding him at arms length. He was dirty and a few scratches could be seen on his skin, but otherwise he appeared to be okay.

"Are you alright?" I asked to confirm my suspicions. "Does anything hurt?"

He shook his head. "What happened? Last I remembered, the plane was goin' crazy and I hit something."

I peered over at Kohaku, who was clutched in his sister's arms. "We were in a crash," I said, turning my gaze back to Souta.

"You can thank Kouga," Shippo said, coughing as he sat up and glanced over at us. "If it weren't for him, we would be gonners."

Everyone turned their heads (except for Inuyasha) to look at my boyfriend. "Is that true?" Sango asked.

He sat up and placed his forearms on his knees. "Yeah," he replied solemnly. "Grabbed the kids before they went under. No big deal."

I choked back the tears of happiness. "Thank you," I replied, holding my brother close once more. "Thank you so much."

He shrugged and accepted my gratitude. I closed my eyes and breathed in the scent clinging to Souta's body. Smoke and sea water mixed together infiltrated my nose and caused my head to spin. They were alive. Kouga, Souta, Kohaku, and Shippo were all alive. And they seemed to be okay. Things were looking brighter already.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

I watched the fire burn in front of me, the flames flickering up into the midnight sky. It was strange. The things I saw within the fire's dance mesmerized me, causing every emotion to fade away.

I wasn't sure what time it was, but the moon still showed vibrantly in the sky and the stars were sprinkled like diamonds. It was about a half hour ago that Kouga felt well enough to be up and moving around and volunteered to go into the forest for firewood. Thankfully, Miroku had taken a survival class back in high school. It had been a prank amongst friends, but in the end it proved to be useful. He had the fire up and roaring within minutes.

"Now what?" Sango whispered beside me, snapping me out of my trance.

I glanced over at her, seeing her eyes trained on the flames. I let my gaze travel over the small group of people that had survived the crash. Most of them had taken place near the fire. Except for Sesshomaru, who was leaning up against a tree with Rin close by, and Inuyasha, who was still at the ocean's edge, everyone else had fallen asleep. "I'm not sure," I finally whispered back. I folded my knees to my chest and wrapped my arms around me.

My best friend sighed beside me. It was apparent that now that the initial shock had wavered and most of those close to us had survived, everyone's thoughts revolved around what was to happen to us or where we were. "Do you think anyone's looking for us?"

I chose not to respond, feeling the tears run down my cheeks. I stiffled my sobs, not wanting to let her see me cry. Someone had to be the strong one, someone had to keep it all together when everything went wrong. I felt her shift beside me and suddenly I felt arms around me, pulling me into her chest. And suddenly the dam burst. I wrapped my fist into her shirt, sobbing uncontrollably, and closing my eyes against the heartache.

"Shh ... " she soothed, rubbing circles on my back. "I was wondering when you were going to break down."

"I c-couldn't c-c-cause Souta-a wasn't h-here and e-everyone w-was so s-scared ... " I found I could no longer speak and a breath escaped my lips. I continued to cry, listening to Sango's humming tunes as the tempest within me quietly lulled to sleep.

"I don't see any lights," Inuyasha suddenly spoke, coming to stand beside us. I peered up at him, noticing how he had stuffed his hands into his jeans and kept his eyes averted. "No civilization. No roads or towns. Nothing but forest and sand." He sighed, frustrated by everything. I was surprised how calm he appeared after no news of Kikyo.

I turned my face back into Sango's shirt. If what he said was true, and I'll bet anything that it was, than that meant only one thing.

We were stranded.

A/N: Alright, hopefully this will make-up for last chapter. It seemed as though some people thought the last chapter was too short. I tried to make this one a bit longer. Now that we'll get full fledged into the story, I'll be able to make it longer. If you have any ideas about what should happen on the island, let me know. I'll see if I can work it in there. Please review!


	11. Frustration

To those I couldn't reply to:

kaki112: For some reason I couldn't message you. I just wanted to say thanks for adding this story to your story alert list. I'm glad you're enjoying it so far. Its much appreciated.

Inu4ever: Ha ha! Well, I'm glad to know that. Hope this came out fast enough, but it was a bit tough to get this chapter done. I had to go back and edit quite a few times, but I hope it will suffice. Thanks for the review.

**Somewhere Beyond This**

**Chapter 11: Frustration**

It was so peaceful. So calm and serene. There was no plane crash. There was no life or death situations. Nothing. Just me and the stillness. I smiled. All of those dark images over the past few hours were nothing but a dream. When I opened my eyes, I would be welcomed with Sango's soft snores or the ringing of my alarm clock. I would get up and shower before going to class, where I would be hassled by my ex-boyfriend and loved by my current one. Rin and Ayame would be bubbly as always and Miroku would try to feel up every girl he met. I would laugh at Mr. Totosai's forgetfulness and sigh at Kikyo's snobbish attitude. And everything would be okay.

This is what I expected, what I believed would happen once I left the tranquil place of my mind. People had vivid dreams all the time, right? As if a person thought it had happened, only to wake up and find out it didn't. Yeah, thats what was going to happen. I just knew it.

"Kagome," someone whispered beside me.

I smiled in my sleep, knowing Sango was probably crouched over my bed, trying to wake me. "Five more minutes," I mumbled, snuggling further into my arms.

She shook my shoulders. "Come on, you've got to get up."

I squinted my eyes shut as I finally became conscious and the rays of sunlight permeated my eyelids. "Class can wait," I persuaded, hoping to dose for a little longer.

I heard a sigh from beside me. "Kagome," she said more sternly. "You need to get up. Now."

I groaned low in my throat and finally decided to give her a piece of my mind. She was never this pushy in the morning. Usually it was **me **trying to get **her** out of bed. I slowly opened my eyes. "Alright, whats the big idea ... " I let my sentence trail.

What greeted me was not the small confinement of our dorm room. Rather, the sunlight glistened off the white sand and the soft sounds of ocean waves reached my ears. The breeze brought the scent of sea water to where I lay, which happened to be under a small cluster of trees. I sat up and looked around, speechless.

The fire from the night before had long since died, leaving burnt wood as the only evidence. Everyone else appeared to be up, although they hadn't moved from their positions they took the night before. The only person who seemed active was Inuyasha. He stood by the water's edge, gazing out at the horizon with his hands stuffed into his jeans.

"Sango," I mumbled breathlessly, turning to look at her. She smiled sadly at me. "No, it can't be. It was all just a dream."

She shook her head. "Afraid not, Kags," she said, her voice twinged with sorrow.

I closed my eyes to hold back the tears threatening to spill forth. I couldn't let anyone else see me break down. I had to be strong. With a deep breath, I opened them once more, turning to gaze at the small collection of survivors. A groan caught my attention and I glimpsed Miroku stretching from his position. I couldn't blame him. Because of his busted leg, he had to sleep sitting upright against a tree the entire night, not to mention the pain the injury caused him. "Good morning," he greeted cheerfully with a grin.

Leave it to him to act happy when there was nothing to smile about. "Mornin'," I replied with a sigh. I licked my lips and suddenly realized how dry my throat was. It hurt to swallow.

Sango stood up and yawned, stretching her arms over her head. "Damn, I'm starvin'."

I grimaced and placed a hand over my stomach, recalling how I was running on empty before the plane began to nosedive. I didn't have a chance to voice my opinion, however, because Miroku's stomach growled at Sango's question and he grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

My lips twitched in a smile. "Who wants to get breakfast?" I asked, turning to gaze at my boyfriend, who had stood up a few feet away.

He narrowed his eyes. "Hey, I got the firewood last night."

"Yeah," I reasoned. "But you're the only one who can do it."

Kouga crossed his arms. "What about mutt-face or his brother? They're perfectly capable." Sesshomaru didn't even glance our way, choosing to ignore the petty fight.

I frowned. "Does it really matter? We're all starving. Would it kill you to just get something to tide us over?" My voice rose as I spoke.

I was a bit on the hungry side. Not to mention the little sleep I got on the plane and the tossing and turning I did all night because I was lying on a patch of sand rather than a bed. So I was in a bit of a pissed off mood. Thanks to all that had happened over the last twenty-four hours, he was walking a thin line.

We continued to bicker back and forth for a few minutes, Sango shaking her head and sighing as time passed. "I'll do it," someone suddenly spoke up. I didn't hear Kouga's response to my latest argument, but instead shifted my gaze to where the voice came from.

"Inuyasha?" I questioned hesitantly. He hadn't turned towards us yet. It was strange. Never would he willingly give into Kouga's demands. At least, not that easily.

"Hn," Kouga grunted, crossing his arms and glaring at my ex. "What? You want to play hero now?"

The silver-haired man turned and my breath halted in my throat. His eyes, usually always burning with the desire to fight, were dull, tired almost, as if he had no more strength to battle. "No," he growled. "But maybe you should stop wastin' time fightin' about it and just do it. Ain't that hard, wolf-shit."

"What did you call me?" Kouga yelled in response, turning to glare at Inuyasha and curling his hands into fists. "You think you can take me? I'll beat the living shit out of you right here, right now."

Inuyasha didn't seem at all fazed by his threats. "Whatever," he mumbled, walking towards the forest before disappearing through the trees. I'm guessing he went to see if he could find some fruit or small animals.

Then a thought suddenly occured to me. "Wait!" I called out. He stopped in his tracks and looked over at me. "Bring someone with. We don't want anything to happen."

A smirk graced his lips and for the first time since the accident, his eyes lit up. "Worried about me, wench?" he asked with a smug demeanor.

I blushed and narrowed my eyes. "No, I just - "

"Keh," he responded, cutting me off as he turned back towards the forest. "I can take care of myself."

I waited a few minutes after he disappeared to calm my boiling blood. "The nerve of that guy," I mumbled to myself, slowly relaxing my muscles. This was no time to be angry.

"You alright?" Sango asked, coming up and placing a hand on my shoulder.

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Well, I for one, am not," a gruff voice spoke up from behind us. We turned around to see one of the strangers standing beside us with a dark look on his face.

Sango took a step towards him. "And who are you?"

He grunted. "Name's Kentaro Wantanabe. You've probably heard of me."

We peered at him suspiciously, having no idea what he was talking about. Kohaku stood up and walked over to Sango, placing a hand on the side of his mouth. "Sis, who is that?" he whispered, eyeing the large man.

She shook her head. "No clue."

He seemed flabbergasted by our lack of knowledge, for surprise took over his face as he took a step back. "You ... you have no idea who I am?!"

We continued to stare at him. Mr. Wantanabe was a heavy-set guy with a balding head and, from what I could tell, a huge ego. He appeared to be wearing a pinstripe suit, although it had been ripped into pieces by the crash. His pants were cut off at the knees and his sleeves were gone.

His face turned a bit red as he glared at us, narrowing his eyes in annoyance. "Lies! Surely you've heard of me! I am an executive at the Glico Corporation." We continued to stare. "You know, the company that sells Pocky?"

Light bulb! "Oh, I gotcha," I responded with a smile, pounding my fist into my hand much like Mr. Totosai used to do. Perhaps the old man rubbed off on me. I frowned. "But wait. That corporation is so huge, why would we know who you are? After all, I bet there are plenty of executives working in the building."

It appeared as if my words only furthered his anger. "Gah!" he grunted, throwing up his hands in the air. "Kids these days. Never pays attention to politics."

Politics? Okay, his position isn't exactly what we 'kids' would call politics. "Do think he's crazy?" Souta asked as he stepped up beside me.

I continued to watch the plump man take a few paces back and forth while muttering to himself. "I don't think so," I replied hesitantly. "I mean, he doesn't **look** crazy."

"Looks can be deceiving," Sango whispered in a sing-song voice as Yuka came to stand beside us. Ayumi trailed behind with a dumbfounded look on her face.

"And furthermore," Kentaro said as he turned and took a few steps towards us. "I'm not gonna stake my life on a bunch of kids!" He pointed his finger in my face, enraged. He was just about my height, which was surprising for him. I thought he'd be much taller, being an 'executive' and all. I fought back a smile, knowing it would only make him angrier.

"Look," Kouga started with a growl. "I don't know who the hell you are, but I'm tired of this crap."

The man looked taken back by the sudden disrespect. "Excuse me?" he yelled. "How dare you talk to me that way! You're just a kid!"

"Actually, we're in college," Ayumi said, putting her two cents in. "Which makes us adults."

He clenched his fists in rage. "I don't care what the fuck you are! I'm not gonna take this shit from anyone!" He began striding forward, as if he was preparing for a throw down.

Alarm crossed my mind. "Woah!" I cautioned, meeting him and placing my hands in front of me to offer some kind of defense. "Hey, pal. We don't want any trouble."

"Come on, Kags," Kouga began, pushing against my arms to try and get closer to Kentaro. "I can take this guy."

I turned to glare at him. "I don't care if you can kick his ass or not. We're not doing this now." I waited until he crossed his arms in acceptance before swiveling my gaze to Mr. Wantanabe. "We're all a bit hungry and our nerves are shot, but we have to work together in order to survive. You and I both know this."

He seemed to ponder this for a moment. "I don't need a bunch of brats to take care of me," he finally replied, glaring one last time before turning around and stalking off down the beach.

"That went swimmingly," Miroku called from his position, watching the man as he retreated towards the ocean.

"Bastard," Kouga muttered, causing me to hit him softly in the arm. "What the hell was that for?" He clutched the offended spot.

I furrowed my brows and clenched my hands into fists. "You are such a jerk," I said coldly. He seemed surprise to hear me say that for his eyes widened and he was rendered speechless.

With a grunt of frustration, I swiveled around and made my way to where Miroku and Sango were sitting. He was looking up at her, flashing a perverted smile. She frowned. "No, not that. You're the survival guy. What do we need to do?"

His smile wavered when he realized she wasn't calling on him for romance. He cupped his chin with his hands and stared off into the ocean in a thinking pose. "Come on, Sango," I said a little too sharply. "We don't need him telling us what we have to do. The essentials are food, water, shelter, and warmth."

I turned around and walked away without another word. Perhaps I was being a little too harsh, but I just wanted to get things over and done with. Determination set in as I strode up to the other survivors. "Kohaku, Shippo, and Souta, you three go with Kouga into the woods and find some stuff we can use for a shelter. Rin," I called, glancing over at her. She smiled up at me, a childish innocence in her eyes. "Never mind. Kentaro -"

"I ain't doin' nothin'!" he called from a way down the beach. I sighed in frustration.

Sango eyed me. "Why, Kagome, I never knew you were the type to bark orders." Her voice was laced with sarcasm and hurt, but I didn't dare apologize for anything. I just wasn't in the mood to hold a smile. With Kouga's bad attitude and Mr. Wantanabe's huge ego, I no longer had an ounce of happiness in me.

"What are you going to do, Kags?" Souta asked, coming up beside me.

I glanced over at the two other strangers that had failed to introduce themselves. "I'm going to talk to them," I replied, nodding my head in their direction. He smiled slightly and squeezed my arm affectionately before meeting up with Kouga and his friends to find what they could.

As everyone found something to do (excluding Miroku, who had a bad leg), I strolled up to where Rin and Sesshomaru were sitting under a nearby tree. "Sesshomaru," I began. He didn't glance my way. I sighed. "Look, since Mr. Totosai isn't here right now, you're the next best thing. I need to know what you think we should do."

His amber spheres glared at me. "That is none of my concern," he responded. Obviously he wasn't in the mood.

"Of course its your concern!" I yelled at him, placing my hands on my hips. "Lives are at stake and you could very well be the only person who can help us."

He ignored me. I stared at him for a few moments longer, contemplating on blowing up at him again, but realized it would be no use. Sesshomaru was the kind of person that only answered if he wanted to. Never did he involve himself in things that he didn't care for. I would know, considering we were kind of close back when me and Inuyasha were dating.

"Ugh!" I screeched, throwing my hands up in the air and stomping away. Well, there goes that bridge of survival. Oh well, I suppose I'd have to manage on my own.

I walked around for a bit, steering clear of everyone else as I contemplated the situation. I wasn't sure how long we would be here before help arrived. But what if it never did? What if they couldn't find us? They could be mourning our deaths back home and we'd still be stranded in the middle of nowhere, believed to be dead.

I shook my head violently. No, I wouldn't think such things. I had to keep my emotions in check and my thoughts clear. If perhaps help was unable to find us, that led to our only other option. Using each other's strengths, we'd have to work together to get off the island. That meant preparing food, getting supplies, building a big enough raft, and then of course there was how the weight would be proportioned ...

"Excuse me."

I was snapped out of my thoughts by an unfamiliar woman's voice. I turned around, noting that I had walked quite a ways down the beach, and found the blond woman from the night before. She appeared much frailer than I remember. Then again, at the time, my only thoughts had been Souta. She was about my height and had deep turquoise eyes, but they had an underlying layer of sadness swirling within them. "Yeah?" I responded, a little surprised to see her.

She wrapped her hands around herself. "Is there anything I can do?" Her japanese was broken, so I knew she wasn't originally from there, but I could still make out what she said.

I smiled. "Of course," I replied. I began walking back towards the group with her beside me. "Whats your name?"

"Sarah."

I guess she wasn't really in the talkative mood. "Well, Sarah, why don't we look for something to drink?"

She nodded appreciatively. Whoever she lost, it must be real hard on her. Perhaps she was just looking for something to occupy her hands and mind, giving her less time to think about the death of her loved one. That is, if they died. Maybe they were simply adrift somewhere like Kouga had been.

I sighed at the silence between us, leaving me to wander my thoughts. After only a few hours of being with this group, I could already feel my patience running thin. I didn't know how long it would take before we were rescued, but it could take days.

I inwardly cringed. Would we be able to last that long?

A/N: Okay, because of a few reviews I got last chapter, I made this one a bit longer. I'll try to keep up the chapter length, but I can't promise anything. I hope you liked it and please review.


	12. Survival

To those I couldn't reply to:

KagomeInuyasha: Yeah, Inuyasha is taking it pretty hard concerning Kikyo's death, but he has to keep hope right? And if you don't like her now, don't read Speak because than you'll despise her. lol. Anyways, I promise that there will be much more Kagome/Inuyasha scenes later on. You'll just have to read to find out.

Inu4ever: Uh, sorry, but I'm updating as fast as I can. Believe me, if I updated any faster I would get no sleep and have to skip days of work, not to mention ignore all of my friends. lol. As soon as I'm happy with a chapter I post it. Not much else I can do. There's no possible way for me to update every day or anything. *sigh* Such an ideal world. Glad you liked it though.

**Somewhere Beyond This**

**Chapter 12: Survival**

The sun beat mercilessly down upon us as the minutes passed, and there was no relief in sight. I swiped the back of my hand over my forehead to rid myself of the sweat. Sarah and I roamed the length of the beach for sometime, glancing over the junk that had piled up from the crash. Most of it wasn't salvageable, but whatever might come in handy later was being dragged back to our campsite by Ayumi and Yuka.

I sighed and turned my gaze away from the depressing sight. Those objects once belonged to people who were now dead and we were taking advantage of them. It seemed so wrong, but at the same time, survival was our first instinct. "Why don't we look elsewhere?" I asked my companion, giving her a small smile.

She nodded in return. With a wave to Sango and a shout telling her where we were headed, Sarah and I disappeared into the forest. The shade of the trees felt much nicer and I suddenly felt a bit calmer.

"So," I started, wanting to make conversation. Maybe I could put her mind at ease, as she seemed rather jittery being in my presence. "Whats your story?"

She looked at me and blinked. "What?" she asked.

I giggled. "I mean, why were you on the plane?"

Her expression lost all confusion as she turned her face forward once more. "Oh, uh, I was on a business trip with a friend."

"You worked together?" I inquired hesitantly, taking a moment to listen to the sounds around me. Was that a stream?

She nodded, her eyes trained on the ground as she watched her steps. "Yeah, we worked at a Human Studies Facility on the west coast of the United States."

My eyes widened. "That's where my group was going for a field trip." She appeared just as surprised. As the time passed, we slowly divulged our life stories to one another. She was almost a decade older than me and had a husband and child at home in the States. Her best friend, Jamie, hadn't made it to the shore, but Sarah still held hope that she was okay.

After a while, we lost track of time, although we continued to mark our path by breaking branches so we'd be able to find our way back. I heard the sound of running water and stopped to listen. "Sh," I hushed my new friend, telling her to listen as well.

We stayed still for a few minutes, trying to pinpoint the direction it was coming from. "I think its over that way," Sarah mumbled, pointing a little to the left of us. I immediately changed direction and began heading toward the sound, making sure to break branches on the way.

The sound, however faint, became louder as we walked. I pulled a final tree branch away to reveal a glistening stream. The water sparkled in the sunlight peeking through the treetops. Although it was no waterfall, I almost cried out in joy at the sight. We immediately dove our heads into the water, careful of how shallow it was, and drank until our bellies were full.

A few minutes later, we sat up and leaned against a nearby tree. "That was refreshing," I said, still able to taste the purity of the water as it trickled down my throat.

"Yeah," Sarah agreed with me. She closed her eyes and allowed her breathing to slow.

I shook my head quickly and stood up. "Hey, we can't fall asleep now." My words jolted her awake and I held out a hand to help her out. "We have to get some water back to the group."

She groaned at my request, but complied nonetheless. Taking out a used water bottle, an empty flask, and container of what used to be liquid soap, we began collecting the clear liquid to take back to the others. With one last gulp of water, I stood up and turned toward the direction we had come from. "Shall we?" I asked, waving my hand out in front of me. I was in a much better mood now that I had quenched my thirst, although my stomach still begged for some solid food.

Sarah nodded with a small giggle and led the way back to camp, following our trail of broken branches. However, I did not expect the sight before me when we cleared the forest and came upon the campsite once more.

A strangled cry rocketed through the sky, causing me to seek out the source. A young girl, who was one of the survivors apart from our group, had her hands over her mouth, staring at something on the beach. Everyone, excluding Miroku and Sesshomaru, ran to where she stood, each desiring to see what had caused her such fear.

"What's going on?" I heard Sarah mumble beside me.

I shook my head at her question and took a few steps in front of her. "Stay here," I commanded, waiting for an affirmative nod before striding along the beach. My thoughts raced as to what it could be, but with everyone huddled around so close, I couldn't catch a glimpse of what the object was.

"Oh my gosh," Sango whispered, turning her back to the scene.

I was immediately at her side, placing my hand on her shoulder. "What is it?" I asked, desperation in my voice. "What happened?"

She shook her head, unable to speak. I nudged her toward Miroku before pushing my way through the crowd. I shoved Inuyasha out of the way, who must have come back from hunting only minutes ago, for he still had a small animal in his hand.

The scene I came upon was not what I expected. Terror rose within me as well as an unexplainable feeling. I glimpsed my brother and his friends out of the corner of my eye. "Souta!" He whipped his head up at my voice, fear in his eyes. "Get Rin and the girl away from here."

He nodded and grasped the young girl by the wrist. I watched Kohaku and Shippo take Rin's hands, although she struggled somewhat. Thankfully his words of optimism caused her to follow without much of a hassle. I waited until the children (Rin is sort of like a child now) were away from the scene before taking a closer look.

A woman was laying in the sand, her dark hair and clothes matted and drenched with salt water. Her lifeless eyes gazed at us and her mouth was open in permanent fear. "What happened?" I asked in a hoarse whisper, trying to keep my mind focused.

"She washed up on shore," Kouga replied, his tone short and to the point. For once, there was no cockiness in his attitude.

"Keh," Inuyasha mumbled, slinging the unidentifiable animal over his shoulder and turning away. "There were at least a hundred people on that plane. The bodies had to go somewhere."

I felt anger bubble up inside of me, but Yuka beat me to the punch. "So what are you saying?" she screeched, taking a step forward. Ayumi refused to release her grip on her arm. "That they're going to continue washing up on the beach?"

He shrugged. "No way to tell." Without another word, he stalked of to where we made the campfire the night before. I wrapped my arms around myself, shivering slightly against the breeze. I hadn't noticed it earlier, but the sky had changed to a warm sunset glow, warning us that night would fall soon.

"Head back," I mumbled to Ayumi, motioning for her to take Yuka along. They were pretty shaken up, considering the circumstances. "I'll take care of this." She gave me a sad smile before dragging our friend along, mumbling promises that she didn't know if she'd be able to keep.

A breath shuddered from my lips as I tried to calm my nerves. "Too bad," I heard Mr. Wantanabe grumble as he stuffed his hands into his pant pockets. "She was a damn good secretary."

My gaze swung to him, noting the slight pity in his eyes. "You knew her?" I asked quietly.

He nodded. "Yeah, she's worked for me for years. Guess I'll have to start interviewing other people when we get off this island."

For the second time in the past few minutes, I felt like tearing someones head off. "Why you -"

A hand rested gently on my shoulder, stopping me from getting myself into a needless fight. I turned my heated glare upon the person, only to see Kouga standing there. His fierce blue eyes were staring at Kentaro, flickering with the desire to kill. "You're disgusting," he stated, his voice low and dangerous.

Mr. Wantanabe blinked, a bit confused as to what my boyfriend meant. "What are you blabberin' about now?"

Kouga stepped in front of me, his fists clenched in rage. "A woman is dead and all you care about is who is going to fill her spot? How self-centered can you be?"

The business man seemed taken aback by the sudden accusatory outburst, thus rendering him speechless. After taking a few seconds to regain his composure, him merely grunted and spun around, stalking off to where he had slept the night before.

As he disappeared down the beach aways, I laid a gentle hand on Kouga's arm, hoping to calm his fury. His muscles immediately relaxed and he turned to me, anger no longer sparked in his eyes. "You okay, Kags?" he asked.

I inwardly cringed at the nickname he called me and fought down the desire to yell at him. Of course I'm not okay! We're stranded on an island with no positive hope of being rescued. "Yeah," I finally replied in a whisper. I glanced down at the body and took a deep breath, preparing myself to figure out what to do with it.

Suddenly, I felt hands around my arms and I looked up to see my boyfriend eyeing me with concern. "Why don't you head back? I'll take care of this."

I could only nod at his request and pulled free from his grasp. I began the treck back to the camp, trying to keep my mind off the image of the dead woman. Taking a look around, I pinpointed where everyone was, making sure they were all still present. Inuyasha was beginning to make the fire, laying the small animal we would eat next to him.

The rest of our classmates were centered around the small glow, cuddling together for comfort. Except for my brother and his friends. They were grouped together in a tight circle just on the outskirts of were we would sleep tonight. "Hey, Souta," I called quietly, catching his attention. He spoke a few words to Kohaku and Shippo, along with the girl, and made his way over to me.

"What is it, sis?" he asked, his concerned eyes glancing over my shivering form.

I shook my head, indicating that there was nothing physically wrong with me. "Who is that girl?" I nodded in her direction.

Souta looked over at her before turning back to me. "Her name is Hitomi. Apparently she lost both of her parents and her baby sister in the crash." His eyes held sympathy and pity, but I saw an underlying layer of protectiveness. He obviously felt for the girl and didn't want any more harm to come to her.

"I see," I mumbled, glancing over at her. The poor child had lost everyone she knew and was thrust in the middle of strangers. "Souta, I want you, Kohaku, and Shippo to watch over her. She needs a few friends right now."

He smiled sadly at me and gave an affirmative nod. "Sure thing, Kagome." He turned to run back to his friends, but I stopped him.

"One more thing," I added. Souta glanced over at me. "What happened with the shelter?"

He hooked a thumb over his shoulder. "Kouga told us to lay everything we could find over there." I looked behind him to see a few tree logs piled up.

I bit my lip in response. "Uh, Souta, that's not gonna be enough for all of us."

"I know," he said with a shrug. "But its all we could find before we heard Hitomi screaming."

"Right," I grumbled, suddenly deflated. "Never mind, then. Go on back to your friends." He paused and glanced at me before running over to the group once more.

Since we were unable to really do much about a shelter, I suppose we would have to figure it out tomorrow. The sun was already setting and it seemed as though everyone was too shaken up to do much else for the night. However, an idea struck me. "Ayumi, Yuka!" I called, striding to where they sat near the fire.

They looked up at me, startled at my sudden approach. "What is it, Kagome?" Ayumi asked.

"Where is all that stuff you collected earlier?" She pointed to a growing pile near the forest. "Thanks." Without so much as another word, I jogged over to where the material sat, eager to find something valuable among them. Unfortunately, there didn't appear to be anything we could use for a shelter. The waning light didn't help matters either.

With a sigh, I hung my head and wrapped my arms around my body once more. Finding shelter would have to wait until the morning. Now that the girl was taken care of and everyone else seemed generally okay, I moved to sit under a nearby tree. I was completely exhausted. All day Sarah and I had foraged for water, only to come back with enough for a few sips for each person. Not to mention the fright with the body and the little girl's predicament.

I closed my eyes against the setting sun and listened to the sounds around me. The fire crackled nearby and I heard Rin humming a song from where she sat next to Sesshomaru. A mumbled conversation reached my ears as Miroku told Inuyasha how to skin the small animal he found so we could eat within the hour. Besides the forest nightlife, everything else was pretty quiet.

I must have fallen asleep, for when I opened my eyes, stars shined overhead and half of my classmates were dozing. I yawned and rubbed my eyes. "Hey," someone spoke from beside me.

Startled, I glanced over to see Kouga looking at me, his bright blue eyes searching mine. "Hey," I replied quietly. "How long have I been out?"

"About an hour." We sat in silence for a few minutes. It appeared as though almost everyone had eaten. Only a few morsels were left over and my growling stomach demanded them. "Listen Kags," my boyfriend spoke, causing me to stiffen. "I wanted to apologize for earlier."

My gaze sought his quickly, a bit shocked to hear him apologize. "For what?" I asked.

He sighed and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. "For the way I acted. I was out of line, especially when trying to pick stupid fights."

I was in awe. In all the years I've known him, I don't think I've ever heard Kouga take the blame. "It's alright," I replied with a small smile. "No big deal." He opened his mouth, as if he was going to argue with me, but thought better of it. Instead, he moved to put his arm around me. I allowed him to pull me in an embrace, but I made no motion that I desired the action. "What did you do with the body?" I asked in a whisper, not wanting to alert the others to our conversation.

"I hid her in the forest where the others can't see."

I nodded against his chest. "That's good," I said with a yawn. At least the children wouldn't have to look at the face of a dead woman anymore. I felt him pull me closer. "I'm starving."

Before he had a chance to make a move, I slipped from his grasp and proceeded toward the small bundle of meat. I couldn't stand being with him longer than necessary. Already I was convinced I no longer held feelings for the guy, but I wanted to let him down gently. Perhaps he would get the hints. However, breaking up with my long-term boyfriend while we're stranded on an island in the middle of nowhere wasn't exactly what I had in mind.

A sigh escaped my lips as I stole a glimpse of the food. It didn't look very appetizing, but as my stomach growled at me for the millionth time, I decided it was better than nothing. "Did everyone eat?" I whispered to Sango quietly, who had just left Miroku's side. It seemed as though he fell asleep moments ago.

"Yeah," she said, taking a seat next to the fire and gesturing for me to do the same. I grabbed some of the meat, trying to ignore the strange scent and began gnawing at the cooked animal. It wasn't the best I've tasted, but it would have to do. "Kagome?"

"Hm?" I mumbled while I was chewing.

Her auburn eyes never left the dancing flames. "What do you think happened to cause the plane to nosedive?" I stared at her, a little curious as to why she asked. She glanced at me. "I mean, why would the plane suddenly crash like that?"

I swallowed. "Sango, I don't think we'll ever know. I mean, it could have been any number of technical glitches concerning the plane itself."

"I suppose you're right," she replied with a sigh.

I placed a comforting hand on her knee and gave her a small smile. "We're going to make it out of this, Sango. Don't think about why things happen. They just do and you have to deal with them as they come. Instead of thinking about the past, I need you to help us figure things out in the present. Can you do that?"

Her eyes, swimming with unshed tears, looked up at me. "Thank you, Kagome. It seems as though you're the only one with the level head around here."

I shrugged. "Its not a big deal. We just have to keep working together and everything will be fine, alright?"

She nodded and leaned against my shoulder. I continued eating, but set my sights on the tree I had been sitting under moments ago. Kouga's blue eyes looked back at me, hurt evident in his gaze.

We may come out of this alright, but I knew that nothing would ever be the same.

A/N: First off, I'd like to apologize for the very long delay in updates. I had no intention of not updating for over a month. Believe me, I would have uploaded this chapter much sooner if time permitted. Not to mention I had a bit of writers' block that I pushed through last night. Some good news is that I finished up ACOH, giving me more time to work on this story. And it seems as though I have quite a few days to write that won't be taken over by vacations or friends. At least, not until August. Again, sorry for the delay, but I hope you enjoyed.

About this chapter, it was a bit hard to write, so I'm sorry if its more of a filler. I promise things will really speed up next chapter, which I'm going to start working on soon, so hang in there. The ride has only just begun.


	13. Karma

As you all know, I try to reply to everyone, but with college and such going on, its hard to respond to every review. I want everyone to know I appreciate your reviews and comments. Life just happened to get in the way. Thanks so much!

To those I couldn't reply to:

KagomeInuyasha: Personally, I admire Kagome for her strength too. After all, in the anime, she doesn't have to keep putting up with the heartache Inuyasha bestows upon her and Naraku really isn't her problem. But she stays and endures all the tragedy and keeps fighting. I find myself a bit like her. I even like a guy who is still hung up about his ex-girlfriend. lol. Thanks again for another review. Hope you continue reading.

**Somewhere Beyond This**

**Chapter 13: Karma**

As a drop of sweat slid down my temple, I looked down at the small pile composed of two rotting tree logs, a few twigs, and a couple of broken branches. No way were we going to be able to make a shelter out of what we had gathered.

I sighed and glanced up at the sun, noting that the sky was absent of clouds. It was a good thing, too. For if it were to rain anytime soon, we would be helpless to the storm. Letting my eyes fall back to the pile of wood at my feet, I slightly shook my head. The shelter thing wasn't going over too well. We'd be better off just aimlessly wandering into the forest in search of a canopy of trees or a cave of some sort.

But that wasn't very logical, now was it? For if a plane flew overhead, looking for a group of stranded survivors, they wouldn't really be able to spot us in dense foilage, would they? If worst came to worst, I suppose we could always use the wood for a signal fire.

"Hey, Kags," Sango said, coming to stand beside me. She placed her hands on her hips and gazed at the pile of what would become our shelter. "Are we supposed to sleep under that?" she asked hesitantly, throwing me a curious glance.

"No," I sighed, crossing my arms and placing my forehead in my hand. "I'll just have to figure out something else."

She placed a comforting hand on my shoulder and I turned my head to look at her. "Listen," she began, her expression softening. "We're all in this together. So stop thinking you have to do everything."

I gave her a small smile, thankful for her words, although they did little to help. "Yeah," I replied distractidly. "Sure thing." With one last glance, she walked toward Miroku, hoping to help keep his mind off the pain. Although he always had a smile, his eyes told a different story. Without any pain meds and no doctor to examine his broken leg, he was left to wallow in misery as the agony continued to permeate his body.

Unfortunately, there wasn't much else we could do for him other than keep him as comfortable as possible. I glanced toward the water to see Kouga, Shippo, and Kohaku trying to catch some fish. They had sharp sticks to do it with, but thus far it proved to be in vain. They hadn't caught any food and already were running low on the berries Inuyasha picked a few hours earlier that Miroku deemed edible.

I strode over to where Ayumi and Yuka sat, hunched over a collection of items they had recovered. "Hey guys," I greeted, squatting down next to them. "What'cha doin'?"

"We're trying to find things we can use to hold stuff in," Yuka explained, never taking her eyes off her task. I stole a glimpse at the collection at her feet, taking note of the various water bottles, medicine containers, and a few plastic cups. There was even a lone pot, dented and scratched from the crash, but otherwise seemed to be in good condition.

"Do you guys want to come with me to get some water?" I asked, trying to keep my mind off the shelter situation.

Ayumi sent me a smile and nodded her head. "Sure, Kagome." We sat there for a few more minutes, gathering up as many containers as we could carry, before heading toward the section of the woods Sarah and I had ventured into the day before. I lead them through the many twists and turns, following the broken branches as we wove our way into the forest.

In no time, I had found the small stream we had used earlier and immediately bent down to collect our treasure. "Do you think anyone knows we're here?" Ayumi asked suddenly, startling the stillness.

Yuka sighed. "If they knew we were here, don't you think they would have come to get us by now?"

The other girl looked a bit hurt by her tone, but otherwise did not reply. "Look," I began, wanting to console them. "They obviously know that the plane went down when they couldn't contact us. And who knows? The piolet may have sent a distress signal before we crashed, alerting them to our position."

"So why aren't they here yet?" Yuka snapped, turning to me with tears in her eyes. "Why haven't they come to take us home? Is this some kind of cruel joke?!"

"Thats not what I meant. Its only a possiblity," I replied calmly, holding my hands in front of me as some sort of defense. I set down my water bottle and embraced her, ignoring her whimpers of protest as she struggled against my arms. "Besides, it takes time," I persuaded her, rubbing soothing circles along her back as she finally gave in and returned the hug. "There is so much ocean to cover and we had already drifted quite a distance from the crash. They'll find us, Yuka. You just have to hold onto hope."

Ayumi smiled thankfully at me and continued gathering water. After Yuka had calmed her nerves and wiped away her tears, we exchanged a few words before finishing our task and standing up to make it back to camp. I made my way to the front and lead my friends through the dense foilage.

Just before the beach came into view, a rustling of the bushes occured to my right, causing me to stop in my tracks. Yuka and Ayumi bumped into me, resounding with a soft 'oof' before looking at me curiously. "Kagome, what are you-"

I held up my hand to cut off Yuka's words and silently pointed in the direction I heard the noise coming from. We had no idea what could be on the island. The predators were unknown, so there was a high chance that one could be hunting us at that very moment. The three of us stood very still, our hearts hammering in our chests as we waited.

The rustling soon stopped and I released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. But I had felt relief too soon. Right when I thought it was over, a figure burst from the bushes. Before we could even scream in fear, we realized exactly what had been scaring us.

Kentaro stood there, zipping up his pants, with a look of surprise. After realizing who it was, my friends relaxed and tried to calm their racing hearts. "What are you kids doin' here?" he asked gruffly, his cheeks reddening in embarrassment.

I glared at him. "We were getting water. You?"

"Had to take a leak," he responded with a shrug.

"You do realize we set up parts near the beach, designating where each gender could go to the bathroom, right?" I crossed my arms as I waited for a response.

"Yeah, but I didn't want to go there."

I inwardly fumed and dug my nails into my skin, hoping to control the anger building up inside me. "Well, perhaps next time you should abide by the rules. Not only did you scare the living shit out of us, but you could have gotten yourself lost or injured wandering so far from camp like that."

His eyes narrowed and he stuck a finger into my shoulder, jabbing it for each emphasised word. "Look here, missy. I don't need a bunch of brats like you tellin' me what I can or can not do. I've got more power than any of you people here."

I pushed his hand away. "Mr. Wantanabe, in case you haven't noticed, we're stuck on an island in the middle of nowhere. Your position as an 'executive' doesn't mean anything here."

He merely huffed in reply. "Just wait until I'm rescued. Then we'll see who has power."

A sharp retort was perched on the tip of my tongue, but I was silenced by a slight movement against my foot. Fear immediatly grasped a hold of my heart and I swallowed against the lump in my throat. Working up the courage, I stole a glance at my tennis shoe, only to hold back a scream. A red and black snake was slithering across the ground, taking interest in our small group.

Personally, I've never been really afraid of snakes. The only problem here is that we had no idea if it was posionous or not. That's what had me scared out of my wits.

Gathering my thoughts, I knew I had to take action before any of us got hurt. "Well, you're just a stuck-up man who loves money too much," Yuka replied to whatever insult Kentaro threw.

"You guys," I hissed, trying not to talk too loud in fear that the snake could strike.

"Stupid girl!" Kentaro bellowed, clutching his hand into a fist and glaring at my friend. "You have no idea what you're talking about!"

I felt a drop of sweat slide down my temple. "You guys," I whispered a little louder. If they didn't shut up soon, we may all fall victim to the snake's wrath.

"Don't talk to her that way," Ayumi chimed in, taking a stance near Yuka.

I inwardly sighed. Guess I wouldn't have much of a choice. "Hey!" I yelled, immediately grasping their attention.

Three pair of eyes stared at me, suprised at my tone of voice. "What do you want now?" Kentaro asked, crossing his arms.

I ignored his sharp tone of voice and decided to tell them about the situation at hand. "Listen," I spoke softly. "Don't move and don't make a sound."

"Why?" Ayumi whispered, abiding by my quiet rule.

I casted my eyes downward as a signal. "There is a snake near our feet. Be patient and its sure to go away."

My group instantly looked down to confirm my words and I heard my friends muffle their screams behind their hands. Kentaro, on the other hand, wasn't as cooperative. He uncrossed his arms, appearing as if he'd flee any second. Sweat immediately coated his brow, his eyes went wide, and I saw him gulp in response to his nervous reaction.

After a few minutes of standing patiently, the snake seemed to no longer have an interest in us and began slithering away. However, it didn't appear soon enough, for the minute the predator had turned its head, Kentaro jumped into action. "I hate snakes!" he yelled, quickly turning around to run from his assailant.

"Wait, Mr. Wantanabe!" I tried to reason, holding out my hand to try to stop his sudden movements. But I was too late.

Seeing the fast motion, the snake immediately sprung into attack mode and attached itself to Kentaro's pudgy leg, squeezing as if it was strangling a prey. His teeth sank into the skin, causing the large man to fall forward. A pained scream tore itself from his lips. Knowing we didn't have much time before real damage was done, I ignored my friends' screams and hurried to Kentaro's side, staying a good distance away from the snake.

All of the commotion we made must have been heard from the beach, because before I knew it, Kouga was standing at my side, his eyes filled with concern. "What happened?" he yelled, bursting through the trees and taking in the scene before him. As soon as he saw that Kentaro was the one who had been injured, worry left his expression and he crossed his arms. "What the hell are you doin' dumb-ass?" he asked.

It appeared as if Kentaro didn't care about the 'dumb-ass' insult, too busy worrying about his life. "Kouga," I chided, furrowing my brows. "This is no time. The snake could be poisonous."

He contemplated my words for a moment before sighing and stepping forward to help. With very careful precision, he managed to grasp the snake's head in his hands. Squeezing the sides of its mouth, Kentaro's skin was freed from his predator's teeth as the snake's body flailed around in an attempt to free itself. "You girls might want to turn around," he warned, looking back to make sure we did what we were told.

I nodded curtly and glanced away. I heard something being torn apart and when I looked back, the snake no longer had a head and his body had been unbound from Kentaro's leg. I felt my stomach turn as blood pooled onto the ground. Before I could throw up the little food I had eaten over the past day or so, the victim's pained moan brought me back to the situation.

Having enrolled in school to further my career into the medical field, I knelt down next to Kentaro and examined his leg. The wound had already turned red, and purple marks were forming around the two holes. I had no knowledge in treating snake bites, so there wasn't much I could do. "We have to get him back to the beach."

As soon as I had spoken, a few other people burst through the trees. I turned around to see Inuyasha, Kohaku, and Souta standing there, frantically looking around and taking in the scene before them. "What happened?" my brother asked, glancing over me to make sure I wasn't hurt.

"I'll tell you later. Right now we have to get Mr. Wantanabe to camp." Inuyasha opened his mouth to object, but as I glared at him with determination, he quickly shut it and did what he was told. As they struggled to carry the large man, Yuka and Ayumi ran ahead to prepare our group for the victim coming their way. Hopefully by the time we got there, Miroku would be informed of the situation and have some kind of knowledge ready for use.

I cleared the path in front of them, holding back branches as they passed, and told them about small rifts in the ground or rocks that may cause them to stumble. We quickly managed to bring Kentaro to the beach and my eyes immediately caught sight of a small fire and a space that had been cleared for our wounded patient near where Miroku was stranded.

"Lay him down gently," Sango said, her brows furrowed with concern as the boys did as they were told. Kentaro hissed in pain as a layer of sweat covered his forehead.

"What happened?" Rin asked in a child-like innocence as she looked curiously at the executive's wound. "Did he get a boo-boo?"

I pulled her away. "Shippo," I called, spotting the small boy. "Take Rin back to Sesshomaru."

He gulped in fear. "Me? Why do I have to do it? Can't you bring her?"

"Please, Shippo. I need your help." Whatever fear he held toward Inuyasha's older brother seemed to diminish as he sighed and took ahold of Rin's hand, leading her away while mumbling words of encouragement to her. Now that my friend was taken care of, I turned around to tune into Kentaro's situation.

Miroku managed to lean closer to the bite mark, inspecting it and trying to think back to all of his survival skills he learned. "What is it, Miroku?" I asked, kneeling next to him.

He sighed. "Its not good. You see the purple coloring already forming around the jagged edges?" He gestured with his finger, pointing out the darker spots. "It means that the poison has spread rather quickly. If Mr. Wantanabe doesn't get some proper medical care soon, his life will be threatened."

"Isn't there anything we can do?" Ayumi questioned, standing closer to Yuka.

"Yeah," her friend piped up. "Can't we suck out the poison or something like in the movies?"

Miroku smiled grimly. "Unfortunately, not every movie you see is correct down to the last detail. You could possibly suck the poison out, but you risk endangering yourself in the process."

"Then what do we do?" Sarah asked worriedly. "There has to be something."

He shook his head. "I'm afraid not. Hopefully he's strong and will be able to hold on until we're rescued."

"But we have no idea how long that will take," I protested, my voice raising in volume.

"I'm sorry," Miroku said, his face solemn. "There isn't anything else that can be done."

The group stayed silent for a moment, trying to comprehend what was happening. One of our survivors was dying and there was nothing that could be done to stop it. I felt the threat of tears come forth and immediately turned around to avoid letting my friends' see me in a weakened state.

It just wasn't fair. It was all my fault that this had happened. Perhaps if I had approached the situation a different way, than maybe Kentaro would still be whining about something. Its funny. You never know how much you appreciate something until its gone. Although I didn't exactly enjoy his complaints, it gave me a reason to vent my pent up fury and I'd rather have him insulting us than buried ten-feet under.

I walked down the beach a ways. The air had turned cooler and the darkening sky predicted nightfall was soon to come. I wrapped my arms around me to hold in the warmth from my body. My tears fell freely down my flushed cheeks and I closed my eyes, trying to block out the images in my mind of everything that had happened since Mr. Totosai announced the trip was to take place. My feet began to feel heavier until I could no longer walk. I simply stood there with the breeze to my back, allowing my thoughts to wander.

What would have happened if I hadn't been able to go on the trip? What if Ayame was here? What if Rin hadn't lost her memory or Kikyo hadn't been taken away by the ocean's wrath? What if Eri was still alive and Kentaro hadn't been bitten by the snake? What if I had never gone out with Kouga and Inuyasha was still my one true love?

Would I be here right now?

I tried to clear the many thoughts from my head but I found I couldn't. My heart ached with pain and my limbs trembled with the desire to be loved by another. No longer could I hide the agony that had been bestowed upon me or the outright anger that I felt toward the world. I simply wanted to cry all my tears away and perhaps let the ocean drag me out to sea where nothing existed except me, the water, and the blue sky overhead.

Suddenly, I felt arms wrap around me from behind. I felt breath upon my neck and I turned around, hoping to see the amber eyes of the man I so desired. Instead, an intensity of blue met my gaze as Kouga peered at me with concern. "It's alright, Kags," he soothed, bringing my head to his chest. "Its not your fault."

"I feel like it is," I replied, surprised at how steady and calm my voice was despite the tears rolling down my cheeks.

He rubbed my back to try and calm my nerves. "Don't you dare think that. He deserved to get bitten. That bastard was always such an asshole, I'm surprised I didn't kill him myself."

His words stung. I furrowed my brows and pulled away, looking up at him with confusion. "Are you saying he should die because he was so mean to us?"

"Kagome," he tried to reason. "This world would be much better without one more arrogant shit-head making everyone's lives miserable."

I pulled out of his arms and shook my head. "How could you say such a thing? No one deserves to die. Not even someone like him."

"Its karma," Kouga said, taking a step toward me. "Don't you see? With all that he's done, its about time he got what he deserved."

I crossed my arms and walked passed him, toward where Kentaro lay, quietly dealing with the poison running through his veins. I glared at my boyfriend over my shoulder. "You're a fucking bastard," I replied, my voice dark and low.

Before he could reply to my rare choice of words, I had already tuned him out and was quickly striding down the length of the beach. But his words kept echoing in my head.

_Its karma._

A/N: Phew! That took me forever to find the inspiration for and I still don't think its the best I can do. But with little time to write these days and new story ideas coming to mind every week, I'm just glad I was able to get it out after more than a month has passed. Please let me know what you think and I hope you stick with me. I'm guessing less than 10 chapters left.

Next chapter: A little love triangle comes to light (not who you think!) and something happens to cause the group to be split up.


	14. Deadly Intrusion

To those I couldn't reply to:

KagomeInuyasha: It seems that quite a few people wished it was Inuyasha behind her instead of Kouga. But thats not how my imagination works. Don't worry, after this chapter, InuKag will once again rein supreme. So look forward to that. Thanks so much for the review. Its much appreciated.

**Somewhere Beyond This**

**Chapter 14: Deadly Intrusion**

Two-hundred forty-three. Two-hundred forty-four. Two-hundred forty-five. Or was that two-hundred forty-six?

I squinted my eyes against the blackness of the sky, trying to figure out if I had messed up the numbers or not. When my gaze swept over the small group of stars, I had already lost my place. I shook my head with a groan and started from the beginning. One. Two. Three.

For the last hour or so, I had been sitting on the edge of the beach. The ocean brushed against my bare feet and a cool wind swept around me. Everyone else sat around the fire talking quietly amongst themselves. Their eyes were grave and it seemed no one had the energy to keep a smile. Not since Kentaro's incident anyways. Thinking of the business man, I sighed and gave up on trying to count the number of twinkling diamonds in the sky. It was a lost cause.

Instead, I stood up and brushed the sand off the bottom of my shorts before trekking back to camp. "Mr. Wantanabe?" I called quietly as I approached his bedding. His face was pinched with sleep and sweat graced his brow. A nightmare was probably the cause. Deciding to let the middle-aged man sleep, I turned around to be met with Sango's soft gaze. She looked up at me from her place beside Miroku, who was sound asleep. It was a good thing, too, because when he's asleep, he doesn't feel the pain as much. "How's he doing?" I asked, crouching beside her.

"He's been better," she replied with a sigh, glancing at his sleeping form. "I just hope we get out of here soon."

"Yeah," I agreed, resting my chin on my hand. "I think we all do."

"You know," she continued, a ghost of a smile blessing her lips. "I've always had a spot in my heart for the pervert."

"Really? I always thought you hated him."

She shook her head with a soft giggle. "No, not at all. I just didn't like how he went after all the girls."

"I saw you guys at Yura's party," I confessed, my eyes watching her face intently for any signs of acknowledgment.

"To be perfectly honest," she replied. "I don't recall half of that night. Last thing I remember was watching Rin and Ayame play Twister."

We looked at each other for a minute before breaking out into a soft bought of laughter. Our two bubbly friends were quite the nuisance at times, but overall they could always lighten your spirit. "I wonder how Ayame's doing back home," I suddenly said, my gaze finding the night sky once more.

Sango sighed beside me. "She's probably worried sick about us. They must have received news by now of the crash. Ayame's the one to go into hysterics."

"My mom's the same way, I bet. Besides, Souta, Kohaku, and Shippo are missing as well. I wonder if our parents even know they snuck into the luggage."

She snorted. "Little brats, putting everyone through so much grief. But I bet my dad has figured it out by now."

I nodded in response and gazed at the flames intently. The conversation dropped and we were quiet for a few moments. I didn't mind, really. Over the past couple of days, the silence seemed to be the only thing that calmed me down. It was strange, considering I came from the bustling city of Tokyo that always held noise. I mentally shrugged. Must be the change in environment.

My eyes brushed across the other survivors, taking note of which ones had fallen asleep and which ones were still awake. It appeared as if almost everyone had dozed off, even Kouga. I bit my lip, memories of our earlier encounter still fresh in my mind. How had I not realized how much of a jerk he was before? Was I too caught up in his boyish charms and smooth words that I had dismissed his rough edges? Staring at him now, I realized I felt no joy or love whenever I was near him.

I shook my head. Although I wanted to ponder on our relationship and figure out the feelings I had, this was not the time nor the place. Once I was back, safe and sound in my college dorm, then I would talk to Sango, Ayame, and Rin about it. They would know what to do.

With an ache in my chest, I peered over at the bubbly girl who had been my friend since high school. Rin was asleep, curled up against Sesshomaru. His eyes were closed and his arm rested on one knee, but I knew he wasn't sleeping. He was always alert. I learned that quite a few times over the years, and it had led to quite a few embarrassing situations.

I turned away and stood, preparing to find my own place to bed down for the night. My eyes caught a small figure inching its way toward the fire and only when the warmth of the flames lit his face did I realize who it was." Souta?" I whispered, silently stepping over to him while trying to avoid the many bodies in my path. "What are you doing? Shouldn't you be asleep?"

He sighed and sat down in the sand. "Not tired," he replied simply.

Well, being the older sister I am, I had a feeling that his words weren't the entire reason behind his attitude. I sat down and bent my knees, nudging him slightly with my shoulder. "Care to tell me what's going on?"

Souta stole a glance over his shoulder. His gaze fell on the group of children huddled around a smaller fire. Shippo was making funny faces at Hitomi, who only laughed with enjoyment. I think I even saw Kohaku crack a smile. "I just wish I could do more for Hitomi. She's lost everything," he confessed, a blush dusting his cheeks. "I mean, Shippo can make her laugh and Kohaku can talk to her about anything. But what can I do?"

I gave him a comforting gaze. It was so sweet. My younger brother was trying to help another in need. When had he grown up? "You can't make the pain go away," I replied quietly, recalling my mother's heartbreaking sobs when my father died. "You can't stop the hurt and you can't stop the grief." Souta was only a baby when our dad died. He never even knew him. "The only thing you _can_do is be there for her. Make her smile through the tears and hold her close when she wants to cry." I had been so young and yet, I was given such a burden. With my mother a wreck and my grandfather closing himself up, it fell on my shoulders to keep things moving. I could still remember the nights in which I would silently cry myself to sleep, not wanting my family to hear. "She'll be okay, Souta," I said, laying a hand on his knee. "It'll take time, but she'll be okay."

He nodded slowly and smiled up at me. "Thanks, sis," he said, genuine gratitude shining through his eyes.

"Anytime." He stood up and made his way back to where his friends sat. He took a seat beside the girl and immediately joined into the conversation. He looked on as Shippo made her laugh and Kohaku would broach serious issues (at least, serious to a child) that were happening around the world. I sat there for a long time, watching as the two boys dozed off. But my little brother stayed up. Hitomi and Souta's words turned into whispers and the smiles dropped. I could barely make out the faint tears trailing down her cheeks. It wasn't long until he enveloped her into a hug.

I smiled at his sincerity and stood up to find my own place to bed down. Everyone else was asleep except for Inuyasha, who stood at the ocean's edge, still staring out toward the horizon. I hesitated, thinking that he just wanted to be alone. But sometimes, what you want and what you need are two different things. With a deep breath, I changed course and headed to where he stood.

His eyes sparkled from the moon's reflection on the water. His brows were furrowed and his arms were crossed over his chest. "Inuyasha," I called timidly, standing beside him. He didn't glance at me, but I assumed he was listening. "Inuyasha, look, I'm really sorry about Kikyo. I'm sure she's okay-"

"Shut up." His voice was dark and soft, dangerous almost.

My forehead creased with confusion. "I'm only trying to help."

"Save it," he bit back, a frown deepening on his visage. "I don't need your help."

"I just thought you might need someone to talk to," I replied, clenching my hands into fists. "Everyone does."

"Not me," he answered simply. He had yet to look at me.

The wind touched my bare skin and I shivered. I had thought our conversation would go a little differently, but apparently, he had other ides. With a sigh, I was about to turn around and return to the warmth of the fire for some much needed rest, but for some reason, I just couldn't let the matter go. "I'm probably not Kikyo's favorite person, or yours for that matter," I said, looking at him fiercely. "But I will _always_ be here when you want to talk."

He stood still, his eyes never leaving the ocean. I didn't know if he heard me or not, but I shook my head all the same and prepared to retreat to the depths of sleep. "She's still alive, ya know."

I turned at the sound of his voice. "Inuyasha, what are you talking about?" I asked wearily, wrapping my arms around myself. I was quite tired of his relentless attitude.

Finally, he looked at me. "Kikyo isn't dead."

"I never said she was," I replied quietly, knowing I was treading on a thin line. I peered at him closely, his gruff demeanor never waning. "Why do you have to do that?"

"Do what?" he asked.

"Why do you always have to get defensive when all I'm trying to do is help?"

Inuyasha turned to me, his stance strained. "I don't get all defensive," he retaliated.

"You just did!" My voice was rising, that much I knew. It was probably the reason why we never heard our attacker coming.

"No, I didn't!" His words were just as loud and for the first time since that night so many years ago, his eyes once again resembled those amber pools, swirling with the infuriating depths of hate. It seemed I was drawn into a trance and suddenly, I was back in his apartment, back in the doorway, and I could even smell the alcohol on his breath.

"Inu ... yasha," I whispered hoarsely, suddenly feeling the sting of tears. I wanted to return to the day of our departure and take back those hurtful words. I wanted to wipe the slate clean, to rid myself of those painful memories.

But before I had a chance, a growl interrupted our trance-like state. My past dissipated and I was once again on the island. I turned around, and found a pair of yellow eyes staring at me through the bushes a few yards away.

Inuyasha must have noticed them too, for I felt him tense up and take a step in front of me, as if in protection. "Inuyasha?" I mumbled again, this time with urgency.

"We're going to move slowly over to the others," he directed. I nodded and placed my hand on his back, letting him know I understood.

One stop at a time, I kept chanting to myself. Left. Right. Left. Right. We had only gotten about six steps before the growling increased ten-fold. This time, it woke up a few of the survivors. "What was that?" Yuka asked, sitting up and glancing around with a dazed look.

Ayumi sat up beside her, rubbing her eyes wearily. "Huh? Wha're you talkin' 'bout?"

Sesshomaru's eyes snapped open as they searched the forest area to his left, where the growling continued to rise from. I could already hear Rin whimpering, her gaze fearful as her hand clutched at her protector's chest. Even as my own terror rose within me, I couldn't help but gaze at my brother. His arms were wrapped around Hitomi and the creases in his forehead spoke of determination. Whatever lay dormant within the surrounding brush, he would protect her from harm. Shippo, on the other hand, was hiding behind them. His tearful green eyes searched the landscape desperately. However, with only the glow from the moon lighting our way, it was hard to make out what crouched in the shadows.

I strained my ears to listen to the slight murmurs that flew about and my eyes fervently begged our collective group to keep still and quiet. If anyone made a sudden movement as to startle the ferocious animal, it could very well be the death of us. Sarah silently knelt next to Kentaro. Tears streamed down her face, born of fear and anxiety. Whatever had come over her to stand by the wretched man who insulted us was beyond me.

My eyes sought those of my boyfriend. His piercing blue gaze was looking outward into the forest and he stood, clenching his hands into fists. Inuyasha and I were too far away to listen to the fearful gasps and terrified words. I closed my hand over the cloth under my palm, feeling the tense muscles beneath it. We were in danger, that was for sure.

The growls increased in volume, drawing closer to our position. "What should we do?" I whispered, unsure if Inuyasha had heard me or not. He didn't reply, keeping his gaze trained in the direction in which the predator would emerge.

Not knowing what lay ahead had my heart hammering in my chest. I could feel the sweat dripping down my neck and my breaths became heavy with fear. My mouth felt like cotton and I tried to swallow pass the lump in my throat. I tore my gaze from the darkness of the trees and sought those of my best friend. She was crouched near Miroku, already slinging his arm over her shoulder. His brows were furrowed with nervous hesitation, contemplating the odds of defeating an island creature.

Movement caught my gaze. A black form crept through the shadows, its yellow eyes boring into my very soul. It opened its mouth, revealing sharp white fangs, and a growl echoed through the night. _A panther_, was the first thing that came to mind. I recalled pictures of it from a report I had done in school a few years back. I had chosen to give a speech on the black panther, not native to Japan. It could tear apart its prey in seconds and sever the life of someone instantly. It was faster than any human. I swallowed.

I watched as it crouched low and began its way toward us, its black tail flickering behind it. I was terrified to look away, but I willed my eyes to meet that of Sango's, who's expression read pure fear. A message passed between us and she nodded. _Run._

As if on cue, the panther lunged from the bushes, causing screams to erupt. Chaos ensued as everyone took off in opposite directions. Helpless to save himself, Kentaro needed Sarah's support to slowly struggle away from the predator. Miroku hopped along on one leg as Sango practically dragged him into the forest and out of sight.

In all the confusion, I hadn't realized that I, too, was running. I glanced ahead of me to see Inuyasha's back and his hand grasped firmly around my wrist. He was heading toward the forest. Although I was glad he had taken action while I was still dumbfounded, I could not help but look behind me to see the fate of our friends. My eyes widened with fear. "Inuyasha!" I screamed above the wind, hoping he had heard me. I managed to rip my hand out of his and took off running in the opposite direction.

"Fool!" I heard him yell from behind me. But I couldn't listen to his insistent pleas. My brother, Shippo, and Kohaku were in danger. While everyone had scattered, the children had been left paralyzed with fear. The black animal circled them, choosing its next meal, and licking its chops with a malicious glimmer in its eyes.

Before I had a chance to react, I was thrown to the ground. Sand flew into my face and I spit up small grains, trying desperately to remove them from my tongue. My eyes stung with the foreign objects, but I merely wiped the back of my hand across them before turning around to look at who had shoved me. Inuyasha was running full speed toward the panther, but on an angle, as to try and distract him. He waved his arms drastically and whistled a few times. "Hey, ya old cat. How 'bout pickin' on someone your own size?"

The tatic seemed to work. Making one last turn around the children, the panther began to slowly inch its way toward my ex, a menacing growl echoing through the area. Quickly, I pushed myself to my feet and began sprinting toward Souta. My heart pounded furiously with fear and I could have sworn my breath had long since stopped. "Souta!" I yelled as soon as I got within hearing range. "Are you alright?"

"We're fine," he confirmed. Shippo was wailing with tears pouring down his face while Kohaku tried desperately to keep an indifferent expression.

"Kagome," a man spoke. I turned around to see Kouga standing there with a wild and startled look in his eyes. "We need to get out of here."

I pointed toward the direction Sango and Miroku had taken off in. "Head into the forest and don't come back until daylight."

He nodded. There was no room for argument. "What are you going to do?"

I set my lips in a determined line. "I have to make sure everyone else is safe."

Kouga stood there for a moment, contemplating my decisions, concern flashing in his eyes. "Be careful," he demanded, touching my arm gently.

"Yeah." Without another word, he grasped Shippo in his arms and directed the children into the cover of the trees. Now that my main concern was safely tucked away with protection, I could focus on the other problems. Luckily everyone seemed to have escaped okay. Yuka and Eri had just disappeared into the forest. Due to his heavy weight and poisoned veins, Kentaro hadn't made it very far, neither had Sarah. Instead, they had taken cover behind a large rock just on the edge of the forest.

However, Inuyasha had my heart clenching in pain. He was near the edge of the forest on the opposite side of the beach. I ran as fast as my legs would allow, circling toward the ocean before approaching the scene from a different angle. Once I was close enough, I could make out more details.

Inuyasha was pressed against the trunk of a large tree, his gaze never leaving the stalking panther before him. I realized with a start that the man who still held my heart, was cornered. Before my very eyes, the panther attacked. Inuyasha quickly rolled to the side, but not before a grunt erupted from his lips and a spray of red flew through the air.

"Inuyasha!" I shouted, sprinting toward his form. Long, claw-like wounds stretched from his shoulder to his torso, ripping his shirt into pieces. Blood poured down his stomach, staining his clothes red.

He struggled to sit up, but immediately flashed his golden eyes at me. "Stay back, Kagome," he warned, only worrying about my safety.

However, there was no time to ponder his words or take caution. The predator was already circling around for another strike. And this time, death was at the tip of his claws. One false move ... that's all it would take. So I did the only thing that came to mind.

I brought my fingers to my lips and I whistled.

It was loud and clear, ear-splitting, to the point in which even Inuyasha cringed. The panther shook his head and growled at me, its malicious yellow eyes boring into my very soul. I had its attention alright. I didn't even make sure it was following before I took off toward the forest, running with all my might. A thump of paws in the sand behind me indicated that the predator was closing in fast. I only had to make it to the tree line and I would be able to put space between us. At least, that's what I hoped.

My heart raced to the point in which I felt as if it would burst right out of my chest. Pain coursed through my legs with each step I took. I knew I couldn't stop, though. If I did, my life would be over. I was too afraid to close my eyes, so instead I pushed myself to run faster. My lungs begged for oxygen and my throat ached with irregular breaths. But I continued on.

Just as I was sure my life was beginning to flash before my eyes, the air suddenly got cooler and darkness enveloped my vision. I peered through the blackness of the forest, careful not to trip over any roots, while desperately flailing my arms to keep the branches of the trees from smacking me in the face.

I didn't know how long I ran, or if I was still being chased. I could only concentrated on the untamed path before me. I ran until my chest hurt and my legs gave out. Unwillingly, I collapsed at the base of a tree, holding a hand to my heart to try and get my breathing under control. I knew I had to keep moving, otherwise a cruel fate would befall me. But I couldn't seem to find the strength.

Instead, I listened to the sounds around me. It had fallen eerily silent. The forest critters were quiet and not even the leaves rustled on their branches. I could hear the blood pounding in my ears as I swiveled my gaze about. I would estimate about five minutes had passed, maybe longer, before I finally let lose a sigh of relief. Perhaps I was safe.

I crawled over to press my back against the tree and fold my knees to my chest. I rested my head against the trunk and looked up, closing my eyes against the sky. So easily I could slip into a deep slumber, and with each moment that passed, I found it so much more inviting. I had almost dozed off when a rustling of bushes startled me awake.

My gaze quickly turned to the left as my breath halted in my throat. Fear had paralyzed my body. Before I could scream, a figure had jumped from the brush and landed in front of me. "Stupid girl," a voice said angrily. "What are you doing? We have to keep moving." Inuyasha pulled me to my feet before I could respond. He crouched down in front of me and lowered his hands, palms up, so they were parallel with his knees. "Get on." It was an order and I paused in my reply.

Was I really going to believe in him? The same man that had broken my heart over and over again so long ago. The same man who had chosen another woman over me, who seemed to move on so easily. The same man who taunted me every day of my miserable life.

The same man who had saved me from an untimely death.

I didn't hear the growl behind us or the crunch of leaves. My head swarmed with memories as thunder echoed over head. Without another word, I took up his offer and fitted myself comfortably on his back. Instantly, he took off running and I shielded my head against his back, trying to keep the splatter of rain at bay as it poured from the heavens. His hands tightened around my thighs as I wove my hands deeper into his shirt.

_I trust you._

A/N: Phew! Another long wait for an update, I know, but a longer chapter as well. I rather like this one and the chapter you've all been waiting for should be just around the corner. I hope the next update won't take as long, but who am I to predict the future? I'll probably be updating KS next. We'll just have to see I suppose. By the way, did anyone catch the new love triangle/square that formed? Anyways, I hope you enjoyed and please review. It keeps me going.

Side note: If you haven't already, please take my poll. I'm trying to plan a schedule in which new stories will be coming out and I need your help in order to do that. Thanks.


	15. Letting Go

**A/N: **Some bad news. Usually when I don't have the time to read and/or review a story, I leave the alert in my email's in-box so I can go back to it when I have time. Unfortunately, my email decided to go bonkers on me the other day and deleted almost my entire in-box. The last email I have from this website is dated September 27th. So if you updated any of your stories since then, that I usually review, please notify me immediately. If you have reviewed/favorited/alerted any of my stories since then and I have not thanked you or responded properly, I apologize. It's not my fault and I had every intention of getting to everyone ... eventually. Sorry for the inconvenience, but hey, shit happens.

To those I couldn't respond to:

InuKagsLuver4Eva: Wow, thank you so much for your review! It really got my spirits up. Just don't do too much complimenting or else I'm going to end up with a big head. I'm glad you enjoyed it so much and yes, of course I'll continue it. Every story I start is destined to be completed within a decent amount of time. Let me know how you liked this chapter.

KagomeInuyasha: Well, you know Kagome. Always thinking of others before herself. As for Kikyo, truthfully I don't know if she'd have run away. She never ran away from a fight when she had her bow and arrows with her. I wonder what would happen if she had no spiritual powers or weapons. What then? Good observation. But who said anything about Inuyasha choosing Kikyo? He merely stated that she wasn't dead yet. He spoke nothing of their relationship. And Kagome only said she wasn't Kikyo's favorite person because Kagome is Inuyasha's ex girlfriend. There is bound to be some drama between the two women. Anyways, thank you so much for the review. Made me smile. I hope you continue to enjoy this story.

-DarkDaughterMay-: For some reason, I couldn't send you a message. You might have PM's disabled. Anyways, thank you so much for adding this story to your favorite's list. I'm glad you're enjoying it so far.

**Somewhere Beyond This**

**Chapter 15: Letting Go**

Raindrops splattered against my cheeks as Inuyasha drove us further into the depths of the forest. His movements were rhymatic. I would have lulled to sleep had it not been for the cold storm overhead and the threat of death behind us. I had my eyes closed, not wanting to see the blur of trees pass by or catch a glimpse of the predator hot on our tail. At least, I think the panther was right behind us. I could barely make out the thump of footsteps.

After a few moments, I realized that the sound was coming from the man beneath me. I twisted my hand further into his shirt and bit my lip to hold back my tears. Thunder continued to echo around us and lightning cut through the sky. Everything seemed to mold into one and I tried to imagine myself off the island. I didn't want to be here. I hated seeing everyone so broken and accepting the fact that people have died. I just wanted to go home.

Finally Inuyasha's pace began to slow. The rain stopped almost instantaneously and a cool, damp air replaced it. I opened my eyes to look around, only to find that the storm hadn't lessened at all. Merely, we were in some kind of cave. We must have run pretty deep into the forest, because there was no sand or saltwater smell. Dirt was at our feet and grass reached no further than the entrance. "Where are we?" I mumbled as he stopped and allowed me to slide from his back.

"How the hell should I know?" he replied curtly, taking a few steps away from me. He began to squeeze out the water from his hair and clothes. "I think we lost that damn cat a while ago, but I just wanted to be safe."

I nodded absentmindedly and glanced around the dwelling. It was dark at the opposite end, giving me no way to know how deep it was. Taking a glance outside, I saw the thunderstorm still raged on. "What about everyone else?"

He shrugged and sat down against the wall near the entrance. Crossing his arms and legs, he closed his eyes and leaned his head back. "Beats me. Probably won't find us 'til tomorrow. Might as well get some sleep."

I sighed, unsure of what to do. So desperately did I want to go out and find the remainder of our friends to make sure they had escaped okay, but the shiver shooting down my spine from the rain said otherwise. I wrapped my arms around myself and stood at the mouth of the cave, pondering what I should do. "Maybe we should go back to camp and look for them," I mused aloud.

"Keh," he snorted. "Not happenin'."

"Why not?" I asked, shooting him a glare.

He cracked an eye open to look at me. "'Cause if you go out in this storm, not only are ya gonna get lost, but you'll probably catch a cold. And considering we're on an island in the middle of nowhere, I don't suggest gettin' sick." He closed his eyes again.

I scowled. "Right. As if you care about my health. You just don't give a shit about anyone else, do you?" I dug my nails into the skin of my arms, frustrated. Inuyasha never really showed compassion toward the other survivors. Not really, anyways. Only the bare minimum.

Suddenly, he was on his feet. "Are you fucking stupid?" he growled, standing so close I could feel his breath on my neck. "If I didn't give a flying fuck about anyone, you would be dead and those people would have starved."

I stood my ground. "Oh, so you finally found a heart, hm? Surprise, surprise ... "

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I think you know exactly what I mean."

He rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Don't tell me you're talking about all those years ago."

"Of course I am!" I threw my hands up in the air. "What else would I be talking about?"

He turned around and began to retreat to the other side of the cave. "Whatever."

"See, there you go again. You never want to talk about it. That's why our relationship fell apart."

"I'm not the reason we fell apart, Kagome," he growled, whirling around to face me. "That was all on you."

I stuttered in my speech, a bit surprised at his accusation. "What did I do?" I bellowed.

"You're the one who walked out on me because you couldn't handle it."

I walked right up to him and clenched my hands into fists at my side. "You don't know the half of it. Do you think it was easy to walk away from you?"

He looked away. "You seemed pretty okay with it."

"How could you even think that?" I snapped. My eyes blurred with tears and my throat began to close up. He glanced at me with curiosity. "You don't understand the pain I felt. You don't know how many nights I cried myself to sleep. You don't know the suicidal thoughts that ran through my head!"

He uncrossed his arms and his brows furrowed a fraction. Was he concerned? "Kagome," he said softly, finally grasping what had occurred after our break up.

"Shut the hell up!" I shouted. "I don't want your pity. After what you did, you have no right to show sympathy for me."

His hardened glare returned. "That's just it! I don't know what the fuck I did to piss you off!"

I opened my mouth to retaliate, but found I was a bit shocked. "You don't know why we broke up?" I asked softly, almost curious. I eyed him carefully. "Do you not remember the countless nights you were out getting drunk with your friends or the countless times you came to school high on whatever was your newest drug?" He only stared at me. "How about the girl you cheated on me with? Does she ring a bell?"

"I was drunk, Kagome."

"That's not an excuse! How would you like it if you saw me and Kouga macking lips?"

"I have to see that everyday!"

"Not when you were with me," I responded, my voice dangerously level. "I was faithful to you, Inuyasha. But one little slip up and suddenly you're in with the bad crowd. I don't even recognize you anymore."

His eyes burned with an intensity I couldn't describe. But he stayed silent. I don't know how long we stood there, staring at each other. The rain pounded against the ground outside and thunder echoed in the distance. The wind howled around the cave as lightning brightened the sky. I finally sighed and shook my head, letting the tears fade away before they could fall down my cheeks. I turned around and retreated to the opposite side of our sanctuary. I sat down and folded my legs to my chest, laying my chin against my knees.

I watched out of my peripheral vision as Inuyasha stood there for a moment, just looking at me. Finally, he turned around and regained his post across the cave. It was strange to realize that after all this time, the raw truth had finally been revealed. I had never spoken about the reason why we broke up, because he never made an effort to regain what was lost. I had decided I didn't need to deal with that. But to realize that he didn't suspect all the agony I went through because of him, I felt my heart clench.

The rain fell heavily just outside the cave entrance, creating a stream of grey as it splashed across the ground, causing droplets to fall short of my feet. I was shivering from the cold air and the wet clothes that clung to my skin. I clenched my teeth so they wouldn't chatter while wrapping my arms tightly around me.

"Did you mean it?"

I almost missed Inuyasha's whispered words. I gave an exasperated sigh before looking over at him. "What are you talking about?" I mumbled, drained of any energy to fight with.

"Do you hate me?" His eyes turned to me, a smoldering amber intoxicated by grief. Silver hair hung lank around his shoulders as he waited for my response.

I recalled all the anger I felt when I had said those words so many years ago. Ever day since that night, I had regretted them. Countless times I had convinced myself I should apologize, only to lose my courage before reaching his front door.

"No," I finally spoke in a whispered tone, my voice strong yet broken. "I never hated you, Inuyasha."

"Then why did you say it?" His mournful expression made my heart break. There was no anger or irrate emotions clouding his judgement. He merely looked defeated.

I sighed and turned away from him, setting my gaze on the storm raging outside, similar to the one raging within my heart. "I don't know," I replied honestly. I really didn't know why I said those words or why I hadn't tried to make amends. Perhaps it was anger or regret. A part of me felt as if he would never forgive me for my hostility. After all, my actions that day were so out-of-character for me. "But I never meant them. I always wished I could take them back."

He was silent and I resisted the urge to look at him. Quiet tears fell freely down my cheeks and I bit my lip to hold back my cries. We used to know each other inside and out. We used to confide in each other and always right the other's wrong. He was my other half, and I his. So how could we have fallen apart like this?

I didn't know how long I sat there and wept. I never even heard Inuyasha stand or cross the distance between us. But suddenly, his arms were around me, holding me close to his chest. I squinted my eyes against my tears in a futile battle to keep them at bay. I leaned into his warm embrace and circled my arms around his torso, hugging him as close as possible. My cries were lost in the fabric of his shirt.

Over the years, the tears I had shed for him were not nearly enough. And so I let go, releasing every moment of heartbreak or sadness that I had ever felt, allowing my stress and regret to slowly evaporate in the form of small droplets as they dripped off my chin and crashed onto his leg. He didn't speak, and I was glad. Just being held in his arms was enough to comfort me.

I was sure I had cried for almost a half-hour before my tears were replaced with shuddered breaths and faint hiccups. I was so exhausted from everything that had occurred that sleep quickly claimed me. But before I allowed dream land to take me away, I whispered four words.

Four words that I had kept locked within my heart for five long years.

Four words that could very well be my undoing.

"I love you, Inuyasha."

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

Daybreak came quickly and I squinted my eyes against the rising sun. I glanced outside to see dew hanging off the leaves as birds chirped in the distance. It was morning. I rubbed the sleep out of my gaze and slowly sat up. Sometime during the night I had ended up on the ground of the cave, a damp cloth used as a pillow. It took me a moment to realize that my make-shift pillow was in fact Inuyasha's lap.

He was looking at me with a hesitant gaze, unsure of how I would react. "Good morning," I said softly, a small smile on my lips. Last night's events played over in my mind. I felt a clench of anxiety when I recalled the last words I had spoken, hoping that the man before me hadn't heard them. But I did not allow him to see my inner turmoil behind my dazed expression.

"Morning," he replied gruffly. He stood up and stretched his arms over his head, obviously glad to get the kinks out of his muscles. It probably wasn't very comfortable with me sleeping practically on top of him. Walking to the mouth of the cave, he peered around the forest and the position of the sun, most likely trying to figure out which direction we were going to take. He looked back at me. "You ready to go?"

I nodded and stood up, streching in a similar manner, before taking my place beside him. My hand found his and they molded into one another. It was just so right. I gazed up into his amber eyes and the small smile on his lips, finally realizing that letting go of the past was the best thing. We couldn't change it, we couldn't take back things that had been said or done. But the future lay before us as a blank canvas, just waiting to be painted with desires of the heart.

As we stepped out into the morning air and began our long walk back to the campsite, I felt a comfortable silence take hold. There was no heated glares or ignorant remarks. He didn't scowl like usual and I didn't feel like my entire world was falling apart. Kikyo and Kouga were far from our minds and our thoughts didn't linger on the reactions of our friends. There was only here and now. Only this moment.

And when I felt him squeeze my hand with affection, I knew we were going to be okay.

A/N: I know this chapter is a bit on the short side, but the cave scene is one I had been eager to write since my co-author and I began discussing it. So I decided to give InuKag an entire chapter just for themselves before the remaining characters come back into play and drama begins once more. I hope you liked it, but the future updates are going to be filled with angst, friendship, tragedy, love, drama, and an unexpected ending to top it all off. Let me know what you think in a review as I get started on the next chapter.


	16. Crimson Sand

To those I couldn't respond to:

KagomeInuyasha: I'm so glad you liked the InuKag moments. I hoped it would go over well. As for Kouga's reaction, I guess we'll just have to see. Who said InuKag were going to end up together?

erica: Yay! You're back again for more! That makes me so happy, I think you just made my day! Anyways ... coughcough ... I'm sorry I didn't update sooner for you, but here is the latest installment. Just don't hate me! I'm really glad that you're enjoying it so far and I hope you stick through it until the end. I'll be uploading a new story by the end of the month (hopefully!) so keep your eyes open. Thanks for reviewing (as always).

**Somewhere Beyond This**

**Chapter 16: Crimson Sand**

The storm had lessened to a light drizzle when Inuyasha and I headed back to camp. We walked in a comfortable silence, one we had been without for many years. It felt so strange, being with my ex-boyfriend. After all the time spent arguing and fighting, to finally be able to be at peace with each other ... It was going to take some getting used to.

I'm not sure how long we walked around aimlessley, for the forest looked the same in all directions, but considering we were on an island, finding the ocean was inevitable. It felt like an hour before the trees began to break apart, revealing the white sand and blue waters. "We made it," I announced with a smile, letting go of his hand and rushing toward the clearing.

"Kagome," I heard him call from behind me. "Wait up."

I paid him no mind and continued running, jumping over tree logs and swatting away low-hung branches. The sun was shining and I squinted my eyes against the bright reflection off the sand. I was only away from the other survivors for one night, but I was glad to see them again. Not only were we all in this predicament together, but I wanted to make sure everyone was alright.

With one final burst of energy, I flew through the remaining brush and ended up at the edge of the ocean. Waves crashed onto the shore and the smell of seawater seemed to engulf me as I breathed deeply, relishing every moment of it. I looked around, searching for my friends.

I wasn't sure which side of the beach we ended up on, but I was almost positive we were headed in the right direction. "There's the campsite," I shouted happily, glancing over the remains of our fire and debris we had recovered from the crash. "Good job, Inuyasha."

He merely shrugged and walked behind me. "Keh, it wasn't a big deal." I could hear the pride in his voice though. Somehow, he had managed to lead us right back to where we started. Who knew he was so in tune with his survival skills?

Pushing those thoughts aside, I concentrated on finding the other survivors. It seemed as though no one was here yet, for there wasn't a soul in sight. I tried to recall the directions everyone had taken off in. The closest ones I could remember would be Sarah and Mr. Wantanabe. They had taken refuge behind a large rock, unable to go much further with Kentaro's injuries.

I started off in their general direction. But what I saw had my stomach clenching in knots and I felt bile rise in my throat. A deep red color stained the small particles of sand surrounding their hiding place. My thoughts immediately went to the worst case scenario. "Inuyasha," I called in a hoarse whisper, my breaths coming in quick, shallow gasps. "Inuyasha."

"What is it?" he asked, coming to stand beside me. I felt him stiffen when his eyes landed on the crimson substance. He took a step in front of me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Stay here." I didn't need to be told twice.

Dread continued to build within me as I watched Inuyasha slowly circle the forming puddle and ease his way around. His amber eyes glazed over with mourning as he set his gaze on where Sarah and Kentaro had been last night. "Inuyasha?" I mumbled hesitantly, needing him to tell me that the two had made it away safely.

He shook his head and clenched his hands into fists. "I guess that cat gave up on chasing us and came back to finish the job."

A strangled cry tore itself from my lips as I placed a hand over my mouth. The sting of tears formed in my eyes and I shook my head in disbelief. I wanted to look, to make sure for myself, but I couldn't bring myself to take a step closer. The red liquid, the _blood_, stained the sand as it slowly crept to where I stood. "No," I mumbled. They had been innocent people. Sarah's smiling face came to mind and I found myself on my hands and knees, puking up anything that had remained in my stomach.

Inuyasha's arms were immediately around me, holding my hair away from my face as the bile splattered across the ground. My stomach lurched, spouting clear water as I had no more to give. When I was finished, he wrapped me in his arms and held me to his chest. It took me a minute to realize that tears we're running down my face. I didn't want to believe that two more lives had been taken. It just couldn't be real.

"We have to make sure they're okay," I whispered into his shirt, denying the truth I already knew. "We need to find Miroku. He can save them."

He only held me tighter. "They're gone, Kagome." His words were tender and soft.

I shook my head and pulled away from him. "No, they're okay. They have to be okay." I glanced over at the rock, barely catching a glimpse of a human hand.

Inuyasha's fingers dug into my shoulder as his other hand grasped my wrist, forcing me to look at him. "They're dead. We can't do anything to help them." I didn't want to believe it was true, but I had always been able to trust those amber eyes. Well, except for when he cheated on me. But this matter was so much bigger than our petty arguments. People had just lost their lives. He wouldn't lie to me about that. "We need to find the others." I could only manage to nod my head as we stood, prepared to begin our search.

He pulled me to my feet and we began walking toward the forest. Inuyasha never released my hand, and I was glad. I was sure to fall apart the moment I lost contact with him. We struggled along the beach and he made sure I was never in view of the gory scene. I tried not to think about anything. If I did, my thoughts would begin to wander to my other friends and fear would set in. Were they alive? Were they hurt? Were they bleeding out all alone in the middle of the jungle?

A rustling of trees brought me out of my thoughts and Inuyasha immediately took a protective stance in front of me, as if he was sure the cat would return any moment. But what emerged was not a predator of any kind. Sango appeared with Miroku's arm slung over her shoulder for support. "Sango!" I called the moment I saw my friend. I ran over to her, joyful tears streaming down my face. "You're alright!" Mr. Wantanbe had been so vulnerable with the poison in his veins that I was sure the same fate had befallen Miroku, and in turn Sango.

"Yeah, we're fine," she assured through tired eyes. Inuyasha came up and took Miroku off her hands, slowly leading him toward a cluster of trees so he could rest his wounded leg. "We managed to make it pretty deep into the forest. Didn't see anyone else all night."

"Us either," I whispered half-heartily, only now realizing the mistake I made the night before.

She seemed to sense my grief. "Kagome, what's wrong?"

I bit my lip, hoping to hold back another wave of tears. "Sarah and Kentaro," I began, averting my eyes. "They didn't make it."

Her gaze swung to the rock they had been hiding behind the night before and her face visibly paled. "Are you sure?" Her voice came out in a small whisper.

Inuyasha grimly nodded his head. "Positive."

We all stood in silence for a few moments, respectfully praying for the loss. With a sigh, I took a few paces toward the forest. "Okay," I said with determination. "Let's go find the others."

Miroku shifted from his spot in the sand. "Sango and I will stay here in case anyone else shows up."

"Be careful," I warned. Although the four of us had made it out of last night's escapade unharmed, we had yet to find the panther's corpse, meaning the beast was still at large.

Glancing over the ground for any sign of a struggle, Inuyasha and I hesitantly walked into the cool coverage of the trees, following the direction our friends had emerged from moments earlier. I tried not to think about the fate of Sarah and Kentaro, or what deadly injuries could have been inflicted on the rest of the survivors. They were alive and well, I just knew it. I refused to accept any other truth.

The sounds of chirping birds and small forest animals caused the scenery to come to life, the trees swaying in the humid breeze as we continued into the foliage. Leaves and branches had been trampled under our feet, making a clear path where the panther had taken route after having a small meal. I shuddered at the thought and forced my mind to concentrate on finding my brother safe and sound, along with everyone else. "Kagome," Inuyasha mumbled behind me, and I paused to glance back.

"What is it?" I asked, my brow furrowing in confusion. His eyes were locked on one of the trees just to our left, and I followed his gaze. A small red spec could barely be seen amongst the leaves and my stomach dropped. "Is that ... ?"

He didn't have to say anything, as I already knew the answer to my question. We peered around the area, looking for some sort of blood trail to lead us in the right direction. I knew that what we would find at the end of the path would most likely be gruesome or horrifying, perhaps even bring me to my knees with grief, but I had to know who was injured. Inuyasha pulled a branch aside to let me pass as we carefully walked over the ruffled foliage. I tried to ignore the fast pace beating of my heart, trying to focus on the positives. After all, it could merely be a scratch from swiping at a branch, right?

Before long, we came upon a clearing. Red liquid dampened the forest floor and I froze in place. Four people knelt in a huddle and I found I couldn't speak. "Kouga." I glanced behind me to see it was Inuyasha who had spoken. His voice was grave with concern and his eyes flashed with caution.

The man in the middle of the huddle looked back, his bright blue eyes had dulled to nearly grey. He was unable to meet our gazes, instead bowing his head and clenching his fists in anger. Blood covered his hands and stained his clothing and I prayed against all odds that he wasn't injured. "Its all my fault," he said in a soft whisper to the point where I had to strain to hear him. "Damn it all!" He slammed his fist against the ground continuously, letting grunts emit from his throat for each time he made contact.

I swallowed and finally willed my legs to move forward. "Kouga," I said softly, eyeing the other people. Souta was clutching Hitomi in an embrace, tears spilling out of their eyes. Kohaku merely stood still, looking into the cluster of trees, away from everyone. For the second time that day I felt nauseous and weak in the knees. "What happened?"

He shook his head angrily and refused to stand, instead clutching dirt into his palms. "We weren't fast enough," he said harshly. "I couldn't get him away in time."

"Who couldn't you get away in time?" I asked, feeling the threat of tears at the back of my eyes. I didn't want to ask such questions, as my mind already knew what he was going to say, but it didn't seem real. I needed his word.

A single tear ran down his cheek as he closed his eyes and looked away. "Shippo," was his whispered response.

I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think, and I couldn't speak. I only stared at him for a full minute before letting my gaze travel to the pool of blood in the middle of them. I felt Inuyasha's hand on my shoulder, wordlessly telling me to stay back, but this time, I couldn't comply. Slowly, I took a few steps forward as Souta and Kohaku inched away, leaving the gruesome scene in plain sight.

There, curled up on the dirt covered floor, Shippo lay. He peered up at me weakly with green eyes, although they were no longer sparked with his prankster personality. His hands were clutched around his stomach and his red hair was matted and dirtied with blood and grime. He smiled slightly, trying to make it seem better than it really was, and his breaths came in short, shallow gasps. "Hey, K'gome," he wheezed, trying to turn his head so he could be situated more comfortably.

"Hey, kiddo," I managed to say, kneeling beside him and smiling. "How you doin'?" I held off the foreboding tears, not wanting to frighten him. There was so much blood ...

He coughed and spit up liquid, managing to turn his head to the side so he didn't choke on anything. "It hurts," he whispered, his eyes shining with tears. "I want it to stop."

"Shh," I cooed, running my hand through his hair in an attempt to calm his fears. "Everythings going to be alright. I'm going to make everything better." Even as the words left my mouth, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to keep that promise.

Inuyasha knelt beside me and placed his hand on my shoulder, giving it a slight pull. "We need to get him back to camp," he said quietly.

I could only nod and stood up, watching as my ex took off his shirt and wrapped it around the small boy, keeping him warm and close to his chest. I swiped my hand over my eyes as I turned around, pulling aside a branch so he could begin the trek back. I allowed Souta, Hitomi, and Kohaku to follow him before turning my attention to Kouga. He still stood in the middle of the clearing, staring at the blood stain with hatred.

"Kouga," I mumbled softly, coming to stand beside him. "Its not your fault."

He turned away. "I was supposed to protect them, Kagome," he growled. "I failed everyone. I failed Shippo. I even failed you."

I furrowed my brows with concern. "What's that supposed to mean?"

With a sigh, he closed his eyes and shook his head. "Never mind. Just forget it."

"Kouga," I began again, watching as he walked passed me. I turned around and followed, taking my place beside him. "You can't blame yourself. These things just happen." My heart clenched at the thought of poor, little Shippo, but I had to console my boyfriend. I could never let a person feel guilty about something that wasn't in their control.

He scoffed. "Right. Things just happen and there's nothing you can fucking do to stop it." His voice was low and he kept his gaze forward, refusing to look at me. I had a feeling his anger was from more than just Shippo's injuries. There was something bothering him.

"If you need to talk, you know I'm here for you, right?"

A grimace formed on his lips, almost in a smile. "Yeah, sure," was his reply.

The remainder of our walk was in silence and before long, we emerged from the forest and the campsite came into view once more. Everyone appeared to be freaking out about Shippo. Miroku was looking him over as Inuyasha and Sango stood close by. I noticed that Yuka and Ayumi had found their way back and were huddled off to the side, undoubtedly weeping about the losses. Sesshomaru stood against a tree, watching the scene closely, as Rin hugged herself to his side. I would never understand why she immediately found a liking to him with her memory loss. Shouldn't she find comfort in friends instead of an arrogant stranger?

Solemnly, I shuffled over to where Shippo lay, listening to the hushed whispers my friends exchanged. "Its pretty deep," Miroku said, his voice grave. "He's already lost so much blood."

"What do we have to do?" Inuyasha had spoken up, his amber eyes flitting between his best friend and the injured boy.

A sigh escaped his lips. "I don't know, Yash. The bleeding has relatively slowed, which is a good sign, but without proper medical care ... "

They were silent for a moment. "Is he going to make it?" Sango asked in a whispered tone. It was the question everyone was wondering. I held my breath, praying for a good response.

Miroku wore a grim smile. "He'll be lucky to make it through the night. If he does, there's a good chance he'll live."

"Damn it," Inuyasha mumbled, standing up and distancing himself from us. But I paid him no heed. My eyes stung with tears and I slowly sank to my knees. I pressed my hands into the sand and looked at the ground, watching it blur as I silently cried. Why was I able to cry out my heartache so freely, so _much_, within the past few days than I have ever been able to in my life? I didn't know, nor understood. Probably stress: over Inuyasha and Kouga, fighting for survival, worrying about everyone else, Kentaro, and now Shippo. It had all come so fast, I felt as if I was getting whiplash.

Sango and Miroku sat quietly and I noticed their eyes were glazed over as well. I glanced over to where Shippo lay, still curled up in Inuyasha's shirt. His eyes were pinched shut, his skin was pale, sweat glistened under the afternoon sun, and his breaths came in shuddered gasps. I knew he was a fighter. He had managed to deal with his father's death only a few months prior, bullying was no longer a problem, and he always put the other kids in their places. So why was I so scared?

Because no matter how much I denied the truth, he wasn't going to make it.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

The fire burned softly in the night as everyone began to bed down. Warmth protruded to those around it. The air had gotten much colder when the sun wasn't out, most likely because of the previous rainfall. I wrapped my arms around myself, keeping tired eyes on my companions. Although the events of the day had affected everyone, I knew we were all dealing with it in different ways.

Kouga was sitting on the edge of the beach, letting the waves touch his feet before they rolled back into the ocean. I wanted to console him, give him some sort of comfort, but I couldn't. How do you tell a man it wasn't his fault that the child in his care had been brutally slaughtered? I sighed and turned my eyes away from his lone figure. I was just so tired of giving out condolences and trying to figure out what everyone needed. I wanted to take a break, at least for tonight.

"Hey," Inuyasha greeted quietly as he sat down beside me.

I glanced over in greeting before turning my eyes to where Miroku, Sango, and Shippo sat. "How is he?"

He laid his forearms on his bended knees. "Not good," he replied honestly. That's the thing I love about him, he didn't lie. Well, at least when it didn't concern him.

We sat in a comfortable silence for a minute, letting our minds wander. I stole a glance at his bare skin. Lifting my hand, I pressed my fingers gently against the injuries he had received from the panther the day before. He flinched at my touch, but otherwise did not object. The jagged edges of the scratch marks made it appear worse and although he had bled, I realized the wounds weren't as deep as I first thought. "With everything going on, I forgot to ask how you were feeling," I said quietly.

"Keh," was his response. "Its just a scratch, no big deal."

I sighed and leaned my head against his shoulder. "You were bleeding, Inuyasha. Of course its a big deal. I was worried."

"You don't have to worry about me. I'm fine." His tone said otherwise and I knew that he was hurting from something else than his physical wounds. He was thinking about Kikyo.

Not wanting to press the matter or intrude on his thoughts, I stood up and brushed the sand from my shorts. He glanced up at me with confusion. "I'm going to check on Shippo," I stated simply. I didn't snap or yell. I was already tired of battling with him over his girlfriend. Him and I ... we had a relationship a long time ago. It wasn't right of me to get jealous. Even if I did love him, there was no way I could force feelings on him. It wouldn't be right.

With a small, reassuring smile, I turned around and began my way to where Shippo lay. I felt Miroku's eyes on me, as Sango had already fallen asleep, but I was a bit surprised when he spoke. "You know," he began in a whisper, so no one could overhear. "He still loves you."

I glanced at him with a weary gaze. "Who are you talking about?" I asked, although I already knew the answer.

"Inuyasha. He may seem happy with Kikyo, but I've managed to get him to talk a few times." His gaze was steady on mine and I had to look away. I knelt down next to Shippo's body, making sure he was warm.

"Yeah, sure," I mumbled. I sent him a hardened glare. "Don't lie to me, Miroku. Now is not the time or the place to try to make me feel better with false words and stories from fairy-tales."

I laid down next to the boy, noting the way his symptoms hadn't changed besides his breathing. "I only speak the truth, Kags," was his mournful reply. "It is up to you to believe it."

Snuggling into my arm and I pressed my body close to Shippo's in an attempt to keep him warm, I ignored Miroku's words and allowed my mind to concentrate on the boy's status. His face was so ghostly pale and his eyes were pinched shut in unending pain. His body trembled with each intake of oxygen. A cold sweat covered every part of his body, causing his hair to stick to his forehead and the nape of his neck. He was shivering under the shirt Inuyasha laid upon him and I shifted closer, trying not to harm him while giving him my body heat for warmth.

I never slept that night. I didn't notice when the warmth of the fire died and was replaced by a bitter chill. My mind could only focus on the rhythms of Shippo's breaths. One, two, three ... breathe in ... One, two, three ... breathe out. I counted the seconds in my head between each breath, watching as his chest rose and fell. I could recall how he had always been apart of my life, ever since him and Souta befriended one another over a bully incident. Being on the short side, he was always under foot, but his childish laughter constantly filled the air. He'd act innocent when he played a prank, and smirk triumphantly when it was pulled off with success.

One, two ... breathe in. One, two ... breathe out.

His brows furrowed more as he fought through sleep. I almost woke him, wanting to rid him of this nightmare. Nuzzling farther into my arm, I felt exhaustion begin to creep up on me. But I stayed awake, keeping an eye on the little boy who had played such an important role in my brother's life. He shifted under the shirt. I watched as he opened his eyes, glancing around him in confusion. "Shippo?" I called quietly, concerned for the boy.

A smile touched his lips. It wasn't fake or filled with pain. It seemed peaceful, almost grateful. He closed his eyes and slept peacefully once more. I returned to counting in my head, but soon I could no longer keep up with the rythmatic pacing in fear I would fall asleep. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the sky begin to lighten as the sun rose, signaling the start to a new day.

My eyes found his chest once more, lazily watching as it rose and fell with each shuddered breath. When it lowered once more, I waited for it to rise again. But it never did.

A scream of anguish tore through the day.

He was gone.

A/N: Alrighty, how was that one? Long enough for you? Hope everyone has had a great start to the new year. I'll be uploading a new story within the month (hopefully!), so look forward to that. Till next time.


	17. Then There Were Ten

To those I couldn't respond to:

WoodShop (and) Vampiregirl1337: I was unable to message you, but I just wanted to say thanks for adding this story to your alert list. I'm so glad you're enjoying it so far.

inu-girl162: I was unable to message you, but I just wanted to say thanks for adding this story to your favorites list. I'm glad you're enjoying it so far.

Casiosiris: I know, I know! But having all of the main Inuyasha characters survive would be unrealistic. Besides, it was either Shippo, Souta, or Kohaku. Take your pick. Anyways, I'm glad you're liking it so far. At least I think you are ... This chapter is a bit lighter, so enjoy.

m: Ugh, you don't know how hard it was to read your advice, because I actually took it into consideration. Want to see the outcome? Start reading. Thanks for the review and your thoughts involving poor Shippo. Hope you don't hate me too much.

**Somewhere Beyond This**

**Chapter 17: Then There Were Ten**

It was so easy.

Forcing my mind to go blank. Thinking of nothing. Letting consciousness slip from my grasp. There was no need to consume food or water, no need to speak to those around me. There was only the darkness, wrapping me in a warm blanket, and allowing me to forget. Most times, nothing came while I slept. But there were moments in which memories would come to mind; images of a red-haired boy as he played. His laughter echoed in my ears and his emerald eyes haunted my every thought. That's why it was easier to forget. I didn't feel the pain.

I recalled awakening to soft voices nearby. My eyes stayed closed, but I could tell it was day time. If night had fallen, I never knew. I woke up a few times to feel Sango running her fingers gently through my hair, or Inuyasha, simply sitting close to me in order to give what little comfort he could bring. Kouga didn't make an appearance, and my heart ached at the thought. A small voice in the back of my mind told me I should be comforting him, that falling to this point of despair was unacceptable. Everyone needed me to be strong. Once I was safe at home, in the comfort of my own bedroom, then it would be time to break down and lose myself in a sea of misery. But not now. I had to keep it together, just a little while longer.

With these thoughts in mind, I slowly allowed the dull throb of heartache to beat once more as I opened my eyes. No one was with me this time, but I knew someone was awake. I could hear their voices behind me. I sat up and looked around, almost in a daze. Sunshine sparkled off the vibrant blue of the ocean as a cool breeze swept over the beach. Judging by the position of the sun, it had to be around five o'clock.

"Kagome, you're awake," I heard Sango call and glanced over.

I gave her a soft smile and curled my knees to my chest. "How long was I out?" I asked, watching as she stood up and took a seat beside me.

She shrugged. "Since daybreak."

I nodded absentmindedly and fought to keep my eyes on my hands, refusing to look at the place where Shippo took his last breath. "Where is everyone?" I mumbled, trying to keep my mind occupied.

"Inuyasha and Kohaku went to gather food. Souta and Hitomi are over there with Miroku," she said, gesturing toward them. "Sesshomaru is with Rin, and Yuka brought Ayumi to find firewood."

Twelve. Is that what our count had dwindled to? Eleven were people I knew. Nine were from our class. At least three people were missing or dead. The dreadful calculation churned my stomach with nausea. Shaking my head to clear the thoughts, I stood up and dusted off my pants. My throat suddenly ached with thirst and I fervently looked around for some kind of water. There didn't seem to be any, and I found my eyes staring at the lone figure by the water's edge. "How long as he been sitting there?"

Sango crossed her arms as she stood. "Since last night," she replied solemnly. "Won't eat or drink. Poor guy, he's really taking it hard."

"It wasn't his fault."

"I know, but he won't listen to reason." A sigh escaped her lips as she shook her head with disappointment. "No one can get through to him."

I didn't know what he was feeling right now or what thoughts ran through his head. After all, he blamed himself entirely for Shippo's death. It had just been a freak accident that could have killed any one of us. I shuddered, thinking of how close Souta had been to being torn to pieces. But damn it all! Kouga was a total ego-maniac who didn't let anything get him down. He always managed to keep a positive light on everything. Not to mention he was always there. I bit my lip, recalling how many times he had tried to set things right or comfort me and I had just pushed him away.

I furrowed my brows with determination. I refused to let him fall into a depression to the point in which the surface was out of reach. Strengthening my resolve, I slowly walked over to where he sat. "Kouga," I spoke softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. He didn't even look at me. I knelt down, letting a small smile adorn my lips. "Kouga," I repeated. "We're out of water and I'm really thirsty. Can you come with me?"

Silence was my only answer. I took a few deep breaths. It would do no good to get angry. "Come on, Kouga," I urged, standing up and wrapping my arm around his, desperately trying to pull him up.

"Leave me alone, Kagome." His voice was low and dangerously calm. It sent a shiver to my very core. Never had I heard him speak in such a tone.

Concern washed over me. "Let's just go to the stream. You'll feel better, I promise."

He sighed and pulled his arm out of my grasp, continuing to gaze at the horizon. Frustrated, I huffed and knelt down in front of him, gaining his full attention. Those dull gray eyes of his scared me and I longed for the blue depth I knew so well. "Please, Kouga." I was whispering now, tenderly pleading with him to grant me this one request.

We sat in silence for a moment before he mutely agreed, simply standing as a response. I smiled softly at him and linked my hand through his, guiding him toward the forest. Picking up a few empty bottles from the campsite and a somewhat-clean shirt (which was piled with the clothes that drifted to shore from the crash), I gestured to Sango where we were going. I listened to our footsteps as they quietly hit the sand, feeling the cool shade of the trees overcome me. I shivered and clung to Kouga for warmth. He didn't react in any way, instead remaining impassive. Almost like Sesshomaru.

After a few moments, we happened upon our source of water and I kneeled down on the bank. Taking each of the three bottles individually, I began to slowly fill them up, aware of the fact that Kouga had silently taken a seat beside me. "It's my fault, you know," he whispered, startling me.

I peered at him out of the corner of my eyes, taking note of his bowed head and desolate eyes. "No its not," I assured with determination. "You have to stop beating yourself up over it. There was nothing you could have done. Besides-" I screwed the cap on one of the water bottles and sent a small smile his way. "-If it weren't for you, Souta would probably be dead."

He made no move that he heard me, instead keeping his eyes on the flow of water from the stream. I sighed, curled my knees to my chest, leaning my head against his shoulder. There was no way I could take away his heartache, and no way to bring back the fiery red-headed boy, but I could offer my presence and words of comfort.

Kouga shifted beside me and I glanced up, taking in his cerulean gaze darkened with guilt. "Kagome," he spoke softly. His hand cupped the back of my neck while his thumb lightly brushed against my cheek. I leaned into his touch, thankful for the tenderness he always held with me. I closed my eyes, relishing in the soft breeze around us and the sounds of the forest animals as they scurried about. Come to think of it, if we weren't stranded in the middle of nowhere and our lives weren't in danger, this place was kind of peaceful.

Without warning, I felt lips press against my own and I snapped my eyes open. Kouga's eyes were closed and his brows were furrowed. The kiss was anything but gentle. It felt needed and passionate, as if he would die without the intimate contact. There were no sparks initiated, and although it was a bit awkward, I closed my eyes and returned the loving gesture. If this would make him feel better, then so be it. I would sacrifice a small piece of my happiness for him, as long as his cocky personality returned.

He shifted toward me, pressing his flesh upon my own and I found it harder to keep my balance. My fingers clung at the grass in an attempt to stay sitting upright, but it was of no use. I hit the ground a moment later, my hands digging into the soft soil, as he knelt on all fours over me. "Kouga," I wheezed out as soon as his lips left mine and trailed over my jaw and toward my neck. I twisted a hand into his hair. "We can't do this."

Making no move he heard me, my boyfriend continued his sweet torture and I almost lost myself to the surreal passion, even though it was more for him than me. But when an image of Inuyasha – scowl and all – flashed through my mind, I immediately pushed against Kouga, shoving him off of me. I sat up, breathing heavily, and avoided his hurtful gaze. "Kagome," he mumbled, sound confused at my sudden withdrawal.

I shook my head and allowed a moment to pass so I could regain my composure and allow my mind to clear. "I'm sorry," I replied in a hushed tone. I peered up at him. "I just can't do this right now."

Kouga looked away and clenched his hands into fists. "Yeah, I know."

I gave him a quizzical look. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He merely shook his head and regained his post by the stream, letting his eyes roam over the surrounding forest. "Nothing, just forget it."

I bit my lip. Wanting to console him was tearing me apart, but I knew when to let matters drop. There was no telling what he'd do if I continued to press him for details. A sigh escaped my lips as I straightened out my tangled and grimy hair as best as I could before returning to my task of retrieving water. Come to think of it, maybe there was a chance that some sort of pool or hot springs was nearby. Kami knew that we all needed some sort of bath.

Screwing the cap on the last bottle, I set the water aside and placed the shirt in the stream, letting the cold liquid soak into the fabric. "What are you doing?" I glanced over to see Kouga watching me curiously, a single brow raised.

"Inuyasha's shirt was covered in blood from Shippo's injuries," I mumbled softly, forcing down the lump in my throat after saying the kid's name. "I don't think he'd be willing to wear it now." I scrubbed the fabric of the shirt together, washing away the dirt, grime, and salt from the ocean.

Kouga scoffed beside me. "You really care about the mutt, don't you?"

I sent him a dumb-founded look, noticing how he had averted his gaze once more. "Well, of course," I replied. "I mean, I used to date the guy."

"Do you love him?"

My breath caught in my throat as I stopped my movements, watching the shirt flow with the water. I didn't dare meet my boyfriend's gaze, knowing he would be staring at me with the intensity of a rejected lover. I wouldn't be able to face him; whether it be truth or lie. My mouth felt like cotton when I swallowed and my throat closed up with each intake of breath. "I'm not sure, Kouga," I said, hoping it would suffice for now.

He stood up beside me. "It's alright, Kagome," he assured, flashing me a smile. But his eyes … they spoke of hurt and betrayal that I had inflicted upon him.

"Kouga-" Without another word, he squeezed my shoulder affectionately, and made his way back toward camp.

I stared at the place in the woods where he disappeared, long after he was gone. Did I still love Inuyasha? Of course, I knew I held feelings for the guy, and I even admitted it before I fell asleep in the cave. After all, five years ago I believed him to be my soul-mate. But would I go so far as to deem it love? How did I know it was just a strong infatuation created my jealousy and old feelings? I wasn't entirely sure. I wasn't really sure of anything anymore. I had a loving boyfriend who treated me right, was there when I needed him, and had my back no matter what. So why would I mix myself up in something that would never happen? After all, Inuyasha was pining after Kikyo, who could be dead or alive. No matter how much I despised the girl, in her own twisted way, she made him happy. That's all that mattered.

Closing my eyes and sitting in silence for a moment, I concentrated on the sounds around me, hoping to quell my inner turmoil. Being stuck on an island with a bunch of delinquents who lived to cause drama … not exactly good for the mental state. I released a humorless chuckle at the thought and quickly finished my task, grabbing the bottles and shirt before following after my boyfriend.

I appeared at camp a few minutes later, only to find everyone in some sort of frenzy. Sesshomaru and Rin stood near the far side of the beach, surrounded by Inuyasha, Sango, and Kouga. Ayumi, Yuka, Miroku, and the children sat nearby, listening into the conversation and voicing their thoughts every so often.

"You're a fucking moron!" I heard Inuyasha yell as I came within hearing distance, quickly setting down the water bottles and throwing the shirt over a tree branch.

Sango had her hands clenched into fists and a look in her eyes that could kill. "You can't be serious!"

"What's going on?" I asked, pushing my way into the small group and furrowing my brows in confusion. Rin hid behind Sesshomaru's tall frame as he merely glared at all of us.

Kouga crossed his arms and turned away. "The mutt's brother is leaving," he bit out.

"What?" I turned my eyes to the stoic man, questioning his intentions. "Where are you going?"

"We've been stranded for approximately three days," he replied slowly, as if we had a hard time comprehending what he said. "Rescue isn't coming."

"How do you know that?" Sango retaliated, taking a step forward. "We drifted farther from the crash site than you think. Besides, what if the pilot when off course before hand? There's a lot of ocean to cover."

He turned his steely eyes upon her. "Do you honestly believe that?" he murmured. "We have been left to die. It is futile to think otherwise."

"So, what do you propose, Sesshomaru?" Miroku called. I glanced over to see him standing on one leg and balancing his weight with a nearby tree.

"We have yet to explore the island," he replied. "Perhaps it is time to do so." Without another word, he turned around and began his walk toward the forest.

I ran up to him and grabbed his arm. He immediately stopped in his tracks and peered at me out of the corner of his eye. "This is insane!" I persuaded. "It's better if we all stick together and on the beach where a rescue team could see us."

"Hn," was his only reply. Without effort, he pulled free from my grasp and disappeared into the trees.

I clenched my hands into fists, watching the silver fade to darkness, and then he was gone. "Wait for me, Sesshomaru!" a childish voice called.

I quickly glanced over to see Rin running after him. "Rin!" I called, standing in front of her before she could go any further. "What are you doing?"

She flashed me a toothy grin. "I'm going to follow, Sesshomaru."

"No, you're not," I said slowly. "You should stay here with us.

The smile lessened. "Don't worry," she mumbled quietly, her eyes sending encouragement. "Sesshomaru will protect me."

Before I could open my mouth to reply, she had already run around me and followed him into the forest, where dangers lurked around every corner. Rin and Sesshomaru had taken it upon themselves to split up from the rest of us and journey on their own. My heart beat in rhythm with the fear flowing through my veins as I thought of Rin and how fragile her mental state was right now. Her life solely depended on Sesshomaru, and being the cold-hearted man he appeared to be, it put Rin at risk.

I didn't know what they would find on the remainder of the island, or if they would even come back alive. I swallowed back the lump in my throat and closed my eyes to ward of the tears. Grasping a hold of my emotions, I turned around to peer at the remainder of my companions, seeing them all looking to me for guidance.

And then there were ten.

A/N: I know, a bit on the short side, but the next chapter will be longer, promise! Hope you all enjoyed this one, as it was a bit lighter than the last chapter. I'm thinking about ten or so chapters left, depending on my muse. I've got the remainder of the story outlined, so it shouldn't take too long. Hopefully, it will be complete by the end of the semester, which is around the beginning of May. To meet that quota, I'll try to update again soon. But I'm not promising anything.


	18. Standstill

To those I couldn't respond to:

Casiosiris294: Okay, phew! You had me worried there. I'm sorry I had to kill such a lovable character. But I'll try to make it up to him. I have at least two stories I want to upload that has one chapter dedicated to him, so you'll probably enjoy those better. Although, I have no idea when I'll get around to them, so don't hold your breath. And quite a few people seem to despise Kohaku, although I have no idea why. Oh well, he's an okay character for me. Sorry I couldn't make you happy this with one. Lol

Stardust: Thanks so much for taking the time to review. Glad you thought it was interesting. Sorry this update was kind of on the late side. My muse was not cooperating. Hopefully you enjoy it all the same.

erica: 'eh. I don't know' is all you have to say? Usually you're the one telling me the good parts and bad parts of each chapter. Kind of disappointing to simply get an 'I don't know.' Oh well, I'm hoping you at least liked some parts of it. If not, hope this chapter makes up for it.

MsikGirl: For some reason, I wasn't able to message you, but I just wanted to thank you for adding this story to your favorite's list. Glad you're enjoying it so far.

**Somewhere Beyond This**

**Chapter 18: Standstill**

A cool wind swept over the island as gray clouds obscured the sunlight. It was going to be another dreary day. The cold weather had persisted since the rainfall, leaving little hope left in us. The hours seemed to bleed together, and without the sun or the sky giving guidance for the time, we were left in a stand still.

I curled my knees tighter to my chest and wrapped my arms around them more firmly. I allowed my gaze to travel over those who were left. There were no more cheerful smiles or words of comfort. No one even bothered to hide their distress anymore. It seemed tears were shed every night and anguished wails filled the air. It made my heart ache.

I sighed and rested my chin on my knees, letting my thoughts drift elsewhere. Rin and Sesshomaru had been gone for a long time. I couldn't even count the days or hours since they abandoned us in search of something better. A part of me wished we had gone with them. But with Miroku's leg, Rin's memory loss, and the turmoil of emotions from everyone else … It was just a disaster waiting to happen. At least when we're together in one secluded area, we had a better chance.

"Hey," someone called from beside me. I glanced up to see Inuyasha standing there, peering out at our dwindling numbers.

I gave him a sad smile. "Hey," I greeted in return, watching as he took a seat beside me. His hands were empty as he folded them and I raised a brow in question. "I thought you went to find food."

He shot me a sideways glance. "It's not good, Kagome," he stated solemnly. "I can't seem to find any animals. They know we're here."

"I was afraid of this." We both glanced over to see Miroku staring at us with a steady gaze. "Our food supply will eventually run out if we continue in this manner. Seems as though we're at the end."

"No food?" I repeated, making sure I understood what he was saying. "But there has to be something left."

Inuyasha shook his head. "Nothin'."

"We'll just have to expand our search," Sango piped up from her place beside Miroku. "There's bound to be something."

"Yes, but the farther we travel in search of it, the more time it will take to gather," Miroku reasoned grimly. "Already it takes a few hours."

"Then what do we do?" I asked, nibbling on my bottom lip. I couldn't fathom our deaths so soon. We had survived a plane crash and a panther. Would starvation be the slow and painful end?

"We'll start out now, then," Kouga said, walking up to us with an armful of filled water bottles. He dropped them carelessly on the sand and crossed his arms, his piercing blue gaze penetrating my heart. "Me and dog-breath'll go. Save us some time."

Miroku nodded. "I suppose that's all we can do for now."

I sighed and closed my eyes, resting my chin on my knees once more. It seemed that it was just one thing after another. I shivered involuntarily against the breeze that brushed against the beach, chilling me to the bone. I missed the warmth of the sun beating down upon my back. I missed the shade of the trees and laughter of my friends.

But mostly, I missed home.

Not the college dorms that I had taken up residence in. Instead, I deeply desired to return to my childhood home. The shrine I had grown up in always held a peaceful setting. It was on the outskirts of the city, warding off traffic noises and chattering city folk. A quiet breeze blew through the leaves of the Sacred Tree as my grandfather hummed a tune while doing chores.

Tears pricked the corner of my eyes and an overwhelming feeling of loneliness suddenly crept up on me, even as my fellow companions spoke softly about our current problem. I quickly shook my head, disbanding the dark train of thought I had taken. It would do us no good to wallow in misery, wishing for things that would never come true. Shippo's smiling face came to mind and I shuddered.

"Kagome," someone called, and I glanced up, half-expecting to see Sango looking at me with worry. I found her doing that quite often lately.

Instead, everyone had turned to find Yuka staring at me with wide, concern-filled eyes. I immediately stood up, dread pooling in my stomach. "What is it?" I asked, taking a few steps toward her.

"It's Ayumi," she whispered, her voice choked with tears.

I quickly dashed over to where she stood, glancing down at our friend. Ayumi was curled up in a fettle-like position, her skin a deathly pale. Her bangs clung to her forehead with sweat as her eyes clenched shut with either nausea or pain. I couldn't tell.

"What happened?" I asked, kneeling beside our sickly friend and placing my hand against her forehead, almost pulling away from the burn of her skin. "She's burning up!"

"I-I don't know," Yuka cried, her arms wrapped firmly around her torso to try and keep herself together. "We went to get firewood a while ago and she was fine then."

Miroku's lips set in a firm line as he motioned for Sango to help him hobble over to where we knelt. With trouble, and a few shuddered breaths, he managed to take a seat beside Ayumi, taking a closer inspection. His brows furrowed with concern. "Yuka, do you know if she is allergic to anything or on any special medication?"

The girl in question shook her head, her eyes wide with fright as a couple lazy tears rolled down her flushed cheeks. "She never mentioned anything to me."

I racked my brain for an answer, trying to recall long ago memories from high school days. Each summer, I was shipped off to camp, having to spend two months with Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi. During those times, we became rather close, although we never hung out regularly during the school year. There had to be something that would give light to Ayumi's strange condition.

Suddenly, I felt as if a light bulb went off. "Yuka," I asked quickly, turning my gaze toward her. "Remember summer camp after junior year?"

She nodded slowly, looking like a deer caught in headlights as she tried to comprehend what I was saying. "That was the year the food fight broke out in the cafeteria."

I hid a smile at the memory, instead shaking my head to concentrate on the dire situation at hand. "Yeah, but something else happened that year, too. Remember when we had our nature walk and Ayumi got stung by a bee?"

Yuka's eyes lit up, finally catching up with me. "She was puffy and swollen for a couple of days because she was allergic."

Realization dawned on the group as we all turned to the distraught girl. Miroku placed his hand to her forehead and eyed her body cautiously. "What's wrong with her, Miroku?" I finally asked in a whisper. "She's never been like this before."

His expression was grim. "Look closely. Watery eyes, wheezing, flushing … They're all signs of a major allergic reaction. Most likely anaphylaxis." He turned dark eyes to Yuka, who seemed to wither under his gaze. "Is there any chance that she may have been stung multiple times?"

She bit her lip as she pondered his words for a moment. "She was complaining about some pain earlier," she mumbled, recalling their trek back from gather firewood. "But I just waved it off, thinking it was joint pain or something."

"Idiot," I heard Kouga mumble behind me, although it was too low for Yuka to hear, thank goodness. I shot him a look that clearly said to shut it. He merely shrugged and for once, I was grateful for his attitude. Our relationship may never be the same again, but I was thankful that although Shippo's death affected him greatly, at least he was still the same old Kouga.

"What can we do?" Sango asked, drawing my attention back to Ayumi's crumpled form.

"There's not much we _can_do," Miroku replied with a sigh, shaking his head sternly. "Unless we can miraculously find medication to treat her symptoms, Ayumi is in need of a hospital."

Inuyasha growled. "Just fucking great. What else could go wrong?" With that, he shoved his hands into his pockets and stalked off toward the forest, obviously in need of a cool down.

I had to admit, things were not going well. After everything that happened in the short span of days we had been stranded, I was surprised to see that there were still some survivors. It seemed that everything that could possibly go wrong did, and most times there was nothing we could do about it. With no doctor and no medical supplies, I had a feeling things could get much worse than they already were. And that was saying something.

x.X.x.X.x.X.x

I was awoken by a soft nudge to my side and I cracked an eye open to see Sango standing over me with a soft smile. "Morning already?" I grumbled, feeling the crick in my neck as I sat up and rolled my shoulders to free the tension. I yawned and looked around, rubbing my eyes blearily, as I tried to focus on the small brewing campfire and the few people sitting around it. The purple hue in the sky meant the sun had just set, turning the air colder with it.

"No, Inuyasha and Kouga managed to find food before nightfall," she explained, holding out her hand for me to take.

I hesitated, peering over my shoulder at Ayumi, who had fallen into a restless sleep as her body desperately tried to fight off the toxins. Every hour she succumbed to her allergies, death became more likely. Miroku stated he would be surprised if she lasted until nightfall. So far, she had held out, but I wasn't sure how much fight she had left in her.

"She'll be fine," Sango mumbled, noticing what I was hesitating about. "Yuka is with her."

I nodded slightly and took her hand, allowing her to help me stand. Stealing a glance at Yuka, who was slumped against a nearby tree, I knew she was keeping vigil over her friend. Losing Eri was hard enough; I wasn't sure what would become of her if she lost Ayumi, too. The three of them had always been a close-knit group. You wouldn't find one without the other two.

With a sigh, I followed Sango to the campfire and smiled at the various faces that accompanied it. I hadn't noticed it before, but everyone seemed much skinner than they had at the airport. Or perhaps it was just my imagination. Being around them constantly these past few days, I wouldn't be able to tell.

"Thanks," I mumbled as Kouga handed me what looked like a small cooked animal. I tried not to grimace, even though I was fairly sure the smell alone would make me lose my appetite. I glanced up at the other survivors, gazing at their distraught expressions.

Sitting next to me, Souta appeared to have handed his food to Hitomi, who at first refused his offer, but after his persistence, she took it with a grateful smile. I felt a warmth bubble in my chest after seeing my brother so caring of others. I wondered where he got such quality from, as he never showed this side of himself at home.

"Here you go," I whispered, handing my food to him.

He looked up at me with a quizzical expression. "But Kags, what are you going to eat?"

I waved his comment aside. "Don't worry about it. I'm not that hungry. Besides-" I nudged him with my shoulder "-What are you going to eat?"

He blushed at my comment before flashing me a knowing smile, digging into his food to take the edge off his hunger.

As everyone had their full and began to bed down for the night, I decided to walk along the edge of the beach. I wrapped my arms around me to hold in warmth, allowing the cool night breeze to brush through my hair. I felt my shoes sink into the sand as the water lapped just out of reach, the ocean waves calming my dark thoughts.

I smiled slightly in spite of everything, just letting my mind go blank as I listened to the sounds around me and smelled the balmy scent in the wind. It smelled like spring after a rainfall. Back home in Japan, we didn't have beaches like this or quiet moments without the bustle of city traffic. Even if I was stranded on an island for who knows how long, at least I could enjoy the peaceful nights. Think positive, right?

I closed my eyes, entranced with the serenity, and I almost missed the soft pad of footsteps that had followed me. I felt a presence beside me, but didn't need to open my eyes to know who it was.

"It's quiet," I mumbled, slowly peering out into the endless dark ocean.

"Keh," Inuyasha scoffed beside me.

I looked over at him with a smile. "You alright?"

His amber eyes sent me a wayward glance. "I was about to ask you the same thing."

I quirked my head. "Why wouldn't I be?" I asked, a bit confused why he was approaching me now. Every time I tried to talk to him, he shut the conversation down or retaliated with harsh words. If it didn't concern our survival, he didn't have anything to say to me.

He shrugged. "You didn't eat," he replied. I wasn't sure if he was blushing or not. It was too dark to tell.

"I wasn't hungry," I answered simply, following his gaze out toward the ocean once more. "Besides, Souta needs it more than I do."

I practically felt him roll his eyes beside me. "Don't be stupid," he growled. "You're human too, you know."

I frowned. "What are you getting at, Inuyasha?"

"Don't be a saint and forget about your own health, idiot," he said harshly, turning to face me. "You need to keep up your strength."

"I'm fine," I bit out, a little confused by his concern. Last time he had acted like this was when he pulled me out of the ocean, and even now I'm not sure if what I saw in his expression was concern.

He narrowed his eyes. "You were always a horrible liar, Kagome," he stated, leaving no room for argument.

I turned a heated glare upon him, irritated by his concern and angry with his choice of words. "Need I remind you what caused our relationship to fall apart?"

Inuyasha scoffed and crossed his arms. "Not that shit again. I thought we were over that."

Easier said than done, I wanted to tell him. After the night in the cave, of course I appeared okay with the way things had turned out between us. To him, I was completely over my broken heart and countless tears. They were a figment of the past and didn't matter in the present.

Oh, how wrong he was.

But I wasn't about to point that out. With everyone else looking to me for some sort of guidance, I had to play the strong one. Really, all I wanted to do was curl up into a little ball, shut out the world, and cry. However, there wasn't really much of an option for me. Not now, anyways.

"Whatever," I finally mumbled after a moment of silence. His eyes flashed with unreadable emotion before returning to their usual indifference. "Besides, why do you care?"

He didn't answer for a long time. I almost thought he was going to walk away without a word. Instead, what he spoke of next surprised me. "I never stopped caring, you know." His words were soft whispers in the wind that I had to strain to hear him.

My eyes widened at his declaration and I turned to face him. He kept his eyes on the slow and steady tide of the ocean, refusing to look at me. My heart began pounding furiously in my chest as I replayed every encounter we had since the break-up. His constant harsh words and aggravated expressions were the first thing that came to mind.

However, if I dug deeper, I could recall a few sparse moment in which he surprised me – a smile here, a soft touch there. He helped me without question at Yura's party, he saved my life from the burning plane, and managed to get us both safely out of the panther's claws. Thinking back on it now, I could see the slight differences in his actions around me. Was his attitude just a front, to hide his real feelings for me?

"Inuyasha …" I mumbled, tentively reaching out a hand toward him. I wasn't sure what I was going to say or do, but I suddenly felt the urge to be in his arms, to feel his heart beating in tune with my own.

He smirked at me, but I didn't miss the faint blush on his cheeks. "Even though you're a scrawny pipsqueak."

And just like that, the tender moment was broken by his sarcastic comment. I watched as he shoved his hands into his pockets, glanced at me one more time, and walked back to the campfire, leaving me alone on the edge of the beach.

I retracted my hand and curled it to my chest, having half the mind to stomp over to him and yell at him for calling me such names. But I just didn't have the heart to. Somehow, I knew he didn't mean it, that it was just his way of saying how much he cared. Maybe I had been reading him wrong all these years. Perhaps he had tried to make amends, but I just never gave him the time of day.

I smiled tenderly, watching as he sat down beside Miroku. An argument started up once Sango stood with a fury in her eyes, her hands clenched into fists at her side. By the way Inuyasha was yelling and Miroku was rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, I could only guess that he was up to his old lecherous tricks again. I was a bit surprised, actually, that he had been able to go so long without a perverted comment or gesture.

I wrapped my arms around myself and turned toward the ocean once more. I wasn't sure what was to become of us, or how many days we would have to survive on the island until rescue arrived. When it came down to it, I wasn't sure of anything anymore. But I knew one thing.

No matter what happened or where we ended up, my friends would always be by my side.

A/N: Ouch, long update, right? Yeah, my muse wasn't cooperating. On a good note, the rest of the chapters should come out rather quickly depending on my time frame. I have the rest of the story mapped out. It looks like its going to be about 23 or 24 chapters long. So we're winding down to the end here. Let me know what you think of this chapter and I'll try to update again soon.


	19. Intensities of the Heart

To those I couldn't respond to:

erica: Hm … I don't quite understand what you mean, but at the same time I do. It was fluid within the scenes, but when the scenes are linked together, it gets a bit choppy. I'm glad you brought that up, and I'm also glad to know that you're still reading and not dropping this story. You had me a bit freaked out there. But seeing you go crazy over the IKK love triangle has me giddy again. I know what's going to happen between them, although I'm not sure if everyone will like it. We'll see, huh? Anyways, hope this chapter is a bit better, as I'm hoping it'll satisfy the crave you're searching for.

PrincessDay12: Thanks for your kind words. And I know, killing off Shippo was a hard decision for me as well. It was either him or Souta, so it was a battle I had to face. Besides, keeping all the Inuyasha characters alive and well isn't exactly realistic. Hope you enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think.

**Somewhere Beyond This**

**Chapter 19: Intensities of the Heart**

I wasn't exactly sure how it happened. One minute I was talking with Yuka and Sango, and the next I was trudging through dense foliage, trying to keep my sights on the silver-haired boy in front of me. I mean, how did I end up going with Inuyasha to get food and water? I don't even like eating the damn rodents, let alone killing them.

But somehow I managed to get dragged into it all and began to severely regret my too-nice attitude as I swatted another tree branch out of my way. Seriously, I was not the nature kind of girl. I would endure it if I absolutely had to, but this was so not funny.

"Inuyasha," I groaned for what seemed like the hundredth time. "Can you slow down?"

"Keh," was his response over his shoulder and I scrambled to keep him in my sights. "Not my fault you're slow, wench."

I frowned and narrowed my eyes, having half the mind to smack him upside the head. Like, what the hell? Where did his nice attitude from last night go? It's not my fault I'm so tired. I don't understand how his stamina seemed so much greater compared to mine. Ever since Ayame and I took a run around the campus, I had gotten into the routine of doing it at least four times a week. And where did that get me?

Lagging behind to the point where I was sure Inuyasha was just going to leave me.

I was about to collapse right then and there, but I suddenly heard the stream from up ahead and with sheer will I managed to make it to the clearing. I immediately found my place in the mud along the bank, not caring about my dirty knees. I greedily drank in the pure water, as if I was going through dehydration.

When my thirst was quenched, I wiped the back of my hand over my mouth and looked up, only to see Inuyasha staring at me with crossed arms and a raised brow.

"What?" I asked defensively. "I was thirsty."

"Whatever," he replied as he dug out the water bottles we had carried in an over-sized dirty tee-shirt. He dumped them down beside me and, when he only stood there, I assumed that since I was already covered in dirt, it was my job to fill them.

Begrudgingly, I did what needed to be done.

It was silent for a few minutes, minus the sounds of nature around us. Sunlight filtered through the treetops and birds chirped as they flew by overhead. Without much to distract me, my mind began to wander.

"Inuyasha, do you think we'll ever get off this island?" I asked quietly. It was the same question we were all asking ourselves, but never spoke aloud.

"'Course we will," was his response as he leaned up against a tree behind me. I could feel his eyes on me.

I watched as the water flowed into one of the bottles before closing the lid and proceeding onto the next one. "But what if we don't?" I mumbled, furrowing my brows. "It's been days since the crash and there hasn't been any sign of help."

"Would you stop babbling?" he snapped, pushing off of the tree and coming to stand beside me. "We're getting out of here no matter what."

I sighed and stood up with a weary gaze. "How can you believe that?" I glanced up into his amber eyes. "How can you be so certain that rescue is coming for us? What if they think we're all dead?"

Suddenly, I felt his hands grip my shoulders tightly and pulled me forward, causing the water bottle to fall from my hand. I was thrown into his chest in an embrace as his arms circled around me. My breath caught in my throat.

"Don't you dare even think for one minute we're all going to die in this fucking place," he growled low in my ear, a wave of determination covering his tone. "I'm not letting anything happen to you. We'll find a way home, I promise."

"Inuyasha," I whispered, feeling tears in my eyes. I clutched the front of his shirt in my hands, listening to the steady beat of his heart and realized how _good _it felt to be in his arms.

I felt as if nothing could harm me, that even if the entire world would come to an end, I would be okay, as long as Inuyasha was with me. Funny, at one point, that was the same way I felt about Kouga.

But a startling thought pulled me away from my fantasy dreams. Inuyasha, no matter how hard he tried to hide it, was still pining after Kikyo. We had yet to figure out if she was dead or alive, and until we knew, I couldn't be with him.

Reluctantly, I pulled back from him and stepped out of his reach, ignoring the hurt expression that crossed his eyes.

"We need to, um, figure out what we're going to do," I said quickly in a professional tone. I swiped at a tear that rolled down my cheek and stooped down to continue filling the water bottles. "We should talk to the others. Maybe we can start building a signal fire or a raft."

I couldn't see Inuyasha from my view point, but I had a feeling he was a bit embarrassed by his show of affection. Even when we were dating all those years ago, he never was one to display his love for me openly. It was always in private quarters under strange circumstances. He was always hesitant and had to be coaxed into a simple cuddle.

Inuyasha cleared his throat. "Yeah, I'm going to hunt for dinner. Wait here for a minute."

I nodded and listened as he slowly left through the trees, the crackling of leaves his only goodbye.

I couldn't deny that my heart ached, that the overwhelming stress of our situation was beginning to sap me of my strength. I didn't know how much longer any of us could last on the island. Ayumi was still in desperate need of medical attention, starvation was drawing near, and there was no sign of help. Not to mention Rin and Sesshomaru were still missing, and four of our friends were dead.

And then there was Inuyasha – ex-boyfriend and currently the man I was in love with. It was cruel enough for the fates to strand me on an island in the middle of nowhere, but they had to throw him into the mix as well? What was next – Kikyo suddenly popping up and making everything just a little less bearable?

I shook my head and pushed all thoughts of Inuyasha and me being in a relationship out of my head. I couldn't think such things at a time like this. There was no time for romance. We were barely surviving as it was, we didn't need more distractions.

Finishing my task, I went to stand up, but a sudden wave of dizziness encompassed me and I pressed my hand onto my forehead. A groan escaped my lips, and I felt as if the ground was rushing up to meet me. The treetops above me spun in circles as I fell to the dirt floor, and everything went black.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

"What the hell, Kagome?" I heard Inuyasha's voice call through the darkness.

My head pounded with pain as I blearily opened my eyes and blinked against the sunlight, meeting the amber gaze of my ex. It took a moment to remember where I was and what had occurred. My mind was hazy and I felt terribly weak, as if I didn't even have the strength to stand.

"Inuyasha," I mumbled, trying to voice my concerns to him. My breaths came in shallow gasps and I could hear my heart beating irregularly fast.

"Kagome."

He spoke my name in such a tone that I forced myself to look at him. His hand cupped my cheek as my vision split so I was seeing double. The only thing I could tell was that his eyes held a look of concern and his brows furrowed with worry.

Inuyasha glanced over me, most likely checking for any sort of injury or bite mark that could cause such a dilemma. When he found none, he returned my gaze and shook my body gently to keep my attention.

"Kagome, look at me. You have to tell me what's wrong."

I didn't really hear what he asked me. I was so tired and the dark void that awaited me seemed too comforting and warm. Perhaps if I could sleep a little longer I'd feel better. And I may be able to dream of my life back home, where we weren't all stranded on an island.

Inuyasha didn't seem to accept my lack of an answer. I faintly heard him growl and mutter a few words as he set me onto his back.

"Damn woman," he grumbled as he picked up the make-shift bag of water bottles. "Always causin' trouble."

Knowing I was safe with him, I closed my eyes and listened to the steady thump of his weight as it crashed into the dirt floor beneath us and the noises of forest animals when they skittered out of our path. I had a feeling I must have fallen asleep during some portion of the trip back to camp, because it seemed like only seconds had passed before Inuyasha stopped walking.

"Kagome?" I heard someone call, followed by a flurry of footsteps against sand.

My eyes felt heavy as I tried to force them open using will alone. I briefly caught a glance of Sango and Kouga as they looked at me with alarm.

"She's okay," Inuyasha replied to their concerned expressions.

I slid off his back and grasped onto Kouga's arm for support. "I'm just a little dizzy is all," I said, hoping to keep away their worry.

"Keh," my savior grunted. "If you stayed out of the sun and ate somethin' you wouldn't _be _dizzy."

Sango looked at me with furrowed brows. "Kagome, you haven't eaten anything?"

I peered up at her with a smile. "Of course I did, Sango," I lied, ignoring the glare Inuyasha was shooting my way. "I just didn't sleep well and being out in the sun all the time can't be good."

"Oh, Kagome," Yuka groaned as she walked up to us, placing a hand against her cheek.

"What'd you do to her, mutt?" Kouga growled, setting his sights on Inuyasha. "She was fine when she left with you."

"Me? I didn't do nothin'!" Inuyasha shouted in return, clenching his hands into fists. "Why do you always blame me?"

"'Cause you're usually the one to blame!" Kouga retaliate.

"Stop it you two," I reprimanded, glaring at the both of them. "I'm fine." To prove my point, I let go of Kouga and stood on my own, ignoring the slight wave of nausea in my stomach.

They seemed skeptical to accept it. "If you say so," Sango finally relented with a sigh. "Just take better care of yourself. We don't need you getting seriously sick."

I rolled my eyes and began walking back to where Miroku and the children were sitting around the campfire. I was greeted with small smiles as I took a spot next to Souta.

"Here's dinner," Inuyasha said, dropping his catch of rodents next to Miroku. He deposited our water onto the beach as well. "Me and the flea-bag are going to get some firewood and be back before night fall."

"Why am I gettin' pulled into this again?" Kouga demanded from where he sat across from me.

"'Cause, you mangy wolf," Inuyasha replied. "It's not like anyone else can do it. Stop complainin' and help out."

I only heard a growl from Kouga before he reluctantly stood.

"Hold up," Sango called. "We still have plenty of firewood from yesterday. Why do we need more?"

Miroku furrowed his brows. "I have to agree with Sango on this one. Why bother if we're not in need of it?"

"Well," I started, drawing everyone's attention. "I was thinking that since rescue doesn't seem to be coming for us, we could either make a signal fire or a raft of some sort."

"Do you think that would work?" Yuka asked. "We would need a lot of wood."

"Hm ... We have enough wood to sustain us for another night," Miroku said, cupping his chin in his hand. "However, if we were to try either of those, we would need an exceeding amount. The chance of finding enough before nightfall is slim."

"It wouldn't hurt, though," Sango reasoned. "Even if we can't find enough for tonight, we can always go back out early tomorrow morning."

"Keh," Inuyasha grunted, folding his arms. "You don't give us enough credit. We'll have a signal fire raging by tonight."

Yuka bit her lip. "What if it doesn't work though?" The question rang through our small group as we each thought it over. The possibilities of the outcome could go either way. If it didn't work, our options would slim dramatically.

"If it doesn't work, then we'll just make a raft." Kouga shrugged as if it were no big deal.

"Yes, of course," Miroku reasoned. "But the procedure to create a workable raft, and a large enough one at that, is much more difficult than it seems. It could take days, perhaps weeks, to gather all the material. Not to mention the outlines we would need to draw and the tests we would need to perform. We can't simply create an unstable raft and send ourselves out into the ocean with no chance of survival."

Inuyasha sighed. "Fine, we'll get the wood for the signal fire tonight. Then we'll go looking for some more all day tomorrow for the raft."

"In any case, it's all we can do right now." Sango clenched her hands into fists in her lap. "I just hope it'll all be worth it."

Yuka placed her hand on her shoulder and looked down at the brunette. "We just can't give up faith or else we're already beaten."

Sango smiled and watched as Yuka sat down next to Ayumi a few feet away, once again checking her condition.

"We'll be back before nightfall," Kouga reminded us before heading toward the forest, Inuyasha in tow.

"Yeah, and don't eat all the food," my ex-boyfriend called over his shoulder.

I shook my head at his words and watched as Miroku picked up a dead rodent.

"Wait," a small voice called.

Everyone glanced to my right to see Kohaku standing and taking a few steps toward Inuyasha. "I want to go with you."

"No, Kohaku," Sango stated. "You're not going anywhere."

"Why not?" her brother asked in return, his brown eyes flickering in her direction. "I can run fast and carry plenty. Besides, we would be able to gather more wood this way."

My best friend shook her head and opened her mouth to protest again, but Miroku interrupted.

"I have to side with Kohaku on this one," he said solemnly. "Although I do not like the idea of a young boy his age in the forest, he'll have Inuyasha and Kouga with him, and he'll be able to help with the gathering."

"Miroku," Sango mumbled. "I can't let him out there! He's my brother, and I refuse to lose him."

"We'll look after the kid," Inuyasha said before motioning with his head for Kohaku to follow. "We'll bring him back safe and sound before nightfall. I can promise you that."

Sango still seemed hesitant, but her eyes told a different story. She could not deny the fact that Kohaku's plan would favor our fight for survival, and that he would be safe with Inuyasha and Kouga.

"Alright," she finally relented. "But come back safe."

Kohaku nodded with a look of determination. "I will." Without another word, the trio vanished into the forest and out of sight.

"He'll be okay," Miroku assured with a kind gaze.

Sango sighed and moved to grab a second animal. "I can only pray."

The two fell into silence as Sango followed Miroku's lead and they skinned the animals for dinner. Souta led Hitomi toward the edge of the beach near the ocean, not wanting her to see the horrid scene. I left the campfire as well and kneeled down next to Yuka and Ayumi.

"How's she doing?" I asked, ignoring my nausea.

Yuka shook her head. "Not well. Her symptoms have only worsened and she's developed a bad fever." She looked at me then with a pleading gaze, and my heart broke. "What do we do, Kagome?"

I bit my lip, hearing the desperation and pure anguish in her voice. "I don't know," was my reply.

It wasn't some pop quiz or exam question. I couldn't look up the answers or pull something from thin air. No matter how many times I ran through all my course studies and reading material, it didn't do me any good here. All the information I had gathered over the years did nothing to help Ayumi.

I was useless to help my friends when they needed me most, and it killed me to admit it.

x.X.x.X.x.X.x

Inuyasha had been right. They managed to make it back before nightfall with enough firewood to sustain a signal fire for several hours. I heard them as they trudged through the final line of trees and across the sand.

I was so exhausted. I no longer felt hungry, even after giving my share of dinner to Hitomi, and my eyelids felt as heavy as lead. I struggled to open them, catching a glimpse of the three boys.

"We need to gather small twigs to start the fire," Miroku called from his place by the fire. His voice was faint, and sounded as if coming from underwater.

I rested my head against the tree I was sitting under and tried to listen intently to the conversation.

A loud thump indicated someone dropping their load of firewood in the sand. "Keh," Inuyasha grumbled. "Got it covered. You just need to start the fire."

I could almost feel Sango's glare on that one. "Inuyasha, be more considerate, will ya?"

They began whispering then, I think, because I couldn't really hear them anymore. The only indication that they were still awake was their steady footsteps as they moved around, building a large fire and trying to start it.

I don't know how long it took them to complete the task. I'm guessing I must have been drifting in and out of consciousness. The next time I opened my eyes, the sun had begun to set, sending a hue of purple across the sky.

A spark caught my eye, and I glanced over to see the fire already beginning to burn. It was small at first, growing slowly, as everyone sat around and watched its progress.

The last thing I saw before I slipped into dreamland was the fire eating away at the midnight sky, and my ex-boyfriend looking over his shoulder at me. His eyes were as intense as the fire, making my heart warm, and my lips smile.

A/N: I know, I know. Another long update. But my muse wasn't cooperating. I have a general idea of where the story is going to go from here. I think we only have about three - five chapters left, so enjoy while you can. I think the next chapter should be fairly easy to write. It all depends on what life throws my way.


	20. Rescue Me

To those I couldn't respond to:

InuKag: Thanks so much for the review! I'm glad you're enjoying it, especially Inuyasha's cuteness.

**Somewhere Beyond This**

**Chapter 20: Rescue Me**

My chest hurt from labored breaths as I darted clumsily through the dark forest. The steady pound of my footsteps echoed in my ears as I tried desperately to keep the boy in front of me in sight. I swatted away another tree branch wet from the previous rain, stumbling over a tree root. Fear filled my heart as I ran faster, feeling my sides ache and my legs burn from the adrenaline coursing through my veins.

Stopping was not an option. If I dared to slow down even a little, or allowed a moment of rest, I was doomed to a fate worse than death. I had to keep up with the screams, had to keep moving in order to save what was already lost. It was a battle that I continued to fight with no end, refusing to give up the memories that burned the backs of my eyes every time I closed them.

I opened my mouth to call out the boy's name, but my throat constricted as I felt tears well in my eyes. The thump of paws behind me alerted me to the approaching danger and I reached out toward the spark of red weaving in and out of the trees. He was so fast, almost like a figment of my imagination. But I refused to give up on the boy, knowing he needed me.

"Kagome!" a voice called through the darkness of the forest. I didn't recognize it or pay any attention to it. The voice was simply a distraction.

I kept my eyes attentively on the red-haired boy, knowing that if I even blinked, he could be gone. I continued to run, feeling the dew cling to my skin and the damp ground sink beneath my feet. Leaves and branches tugged at my clothing and scratched my bare legs. I ignored it, feeling nothing but the burning ache where my heart thudded painfully in my chest.

I didn't know where I was anymore. I had no idea where camp was or where my friends had hidden. How had I gotten to this place? How had I been separated from Inuyasha and the others? Suddenly, no longer was my attention focused solely on the little boy running ahead of me. I began to worry, thinking of my friends and what was to become of them. We're they alright?

"Damn it," a man growled, his voice echoing in the trees around me. I didn't stop, but my eyes sought the branches, looking for the source. "Stupid girl."

Someone was mocking me, laughing at my slow movements and fearsome gaze. I furrowed my brows in concentration. There was no time to be thinking of the others. I had to find the little boy.

But when I focused my eyes back to the forest in front of me, he was gone. My pursuer had stopped long ago and I was left alone with only the silence as comfort. I stopped running, heaving deep lung-filled breaths as I turned around and around, looking for a way out.

No one was there. I was all alone in a forest with no name, stranded in a place that didn't exist.

"Mama!" I called out into the darkness, needing my mother's comforting embrace. Tears began rolling down my cheeks before I even knew they were coming. I fell to the ground with a desperate cry, my hands and knees meeting the mud in an angry crash.

I felt a sharp pain shoot through my chest where my heart thumped with anguish. My eyes widened and I knew death had drawn near. I would never be able to save the little boy or return to my family. My friends' smiles came to mind and I whimpered. Death would take me in the dark forest, cold and all alone, waiting for a rescue that would never come.

Before I closed my eyes to the torrent of heartache, rain cascaded down from the heavens.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

"Kagome, wake up, damn it."

I wearily opened my eyes to see amber looking at me with concern.

"We have to move."

I barely registered what the man said. Silver swept across my cheek like silk.

"Sango! Get the kids and find shelter in the trees!"

Water slapped against my forehead as the sky cried tears of sorrow.

"Damn woman."

The man picked me up and slung me over his back. Inuyasha was pretty strong, I finally realized.

I gazed around our camp, watching as the children followed my best friend into the trees, and Yuka helped Miroku hobble through the sand. Ayumi was draped over Kouga's arms, her body seeming lifeless and pale against his skin.

The signal fire flickered and sizzled high into the air. But it wasn't growing to great heights. Instead, it was shrinking, becoming smaller as the seconds passed. The rain was dousing it out. All of our hard work …

I heard shouts of command ring through our small group - something about saving the food and taking the water. Were we going somewhere?

I was too tired to think about it.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

Oh that smile. That wolfishly handsome smile. Blue glittered under the sunlight as he stared at me, eyes twinkling with humor. He wrapped his arms around my waist, his hot breath coursing across my skin. I looked up at him, tracing my gaze along his chiseled jaw. I clenched his shirt into a fist, feeling his lips meet my neck. I groaned as a sensation rippled down my spine.

It was so wrong – so very, very wrong. My body withered under his touch, loving every nibble and whispered word. But my heart thudded with rejection and hurt. My soul pushed against him, refusing his affection and loving gaze. I love him, but I don't. I want to love him, but I won't. I need to kiss him, but I shouldn't. I can cry for him, but I can't.

Emotional confusion overcame me, knocking the breath from my lungs. Gone were the intense blue eyes that openly confessed their love, replaced by guarded amber. Black turned to silver as it swept against my cheek, caressing me in a mournful embrace. His hands tightened around my waist, bringing me closer to his chest, and to his heart. I heard it beat painfully with my own.

And then he was gone. Like the breeze, his arms vanished from around me as he was swept backwards through the sunlit forest. My feet were rooted to the spot, forcing me to watch the distance grow between us. He beckoned to me with his hand, calling out for my voice of confession.

But I couldn't speak, couldn't stop the dark-haired girl that grasped him from behind. She dragged him further into the forest as the sky turned red in color. Her smile carved a hole in my chest as I sunk to my knees.

A strangled cry tore from my lips as waves crashed over me, drowning me in the depths of the ocean. The man and woman blurred on the surface, moving farther and farther out of my reach. My lungs filled with water as I began to drown in the black abyss. Red tainted my vision as crimson liquid swallowed me whole.

Blood seeped from my heart, leaving me lifeless.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

Water trickled into my mouth and I coughed, my body shaking as I tried to dispel the liquid. My eyes shot open to be met with concerned blue orbs, and black brows furrowed with worry.

"Kagome," Kouga called as my sight focused on the man hovering over me. His voice was wrong. It wasn't the one I wanted to hear. It was too rugged and deep. Not at all like the voice my heart craved.

I licked my dry lips and rolled my head side to side. My gaze sought my surroundings, trying to find out where we were. There was sand and blue sky. It had to be daytime. "Wh-where?" I asked, my voice hoarse.

"We're on the beach," my boyfriend said. Was he still my boyfriend? I couldn't remember if I had told him that we weren't meant to be. Did I tell him? Or did simple hints ward him off? Oh goodness, the hurt look in his eyes from days ago. It pained me to remember, but it pained me more to forget.

"Rain," I mumbled, closing and opening my eyes.

He nodded. "Yeah, we had a storm yesterday. Had to stay in the forest for the night as cover."

That would explain all the water. We must have had a lot of rain. After all, I drowned because of it. Wait, did I drown? If I had, would I be here with Kouga? Maybe we all died and now I was in heaven. I didn't hurt anymore. At least, not physically. Did I?

"Inu-Inuyasha," I whispered, needing to see him to confirm that he was still there.

Kouga's eyes darkened with pain as he averted his gaze, looking toward my right. "Hey, dog-breath!" he yelled. A thump of footsteps dug into the sand as they approached.

Fear grasped my heart as visions of a dark forest and a red-haired boy came to mind. Suddenly, it was all too bright as Kouga left my sight, leaving me in the sun for what seemed like forever. Then Inuyasha was above me, his arms crossed over his chest. But the concern never left his eyes.

"Hey, you alright?" he asked, kneeling down next to me. I must have been lying down, in the sand perhaps?

I had no strength to nod my head. "I thought you were gone," I mumbled, my voice inaudible to my own ears.

He must have understood me because he grasped one of my hands into his own. "Keh, I'm not goin' anywhere, wench."

I tried to smile at the nickname, but I was too tired to do even that. "I'm glad…"

I never got to see the expression on his face, as my eyes closed and darkness consumed me.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

My favorite color was green. Like the uniforms in middle school. Or like the grass in summer time and the scent in the wind. Could green be a scent? I shook my head as I laughed, rolling down the grassy hillside toward the cool river below. I landed with a thump on the bank and lifted my head up to peer through my dark tresses.

Pink was a pretty color, too. Like the flower I was staring at as it spun with the welcomed breeze. I think Sango would like it. Even if she was a tom-boy, that girl was more complicated than a time machine. I plucked the flower and smelled its scent. Heavenly …

When I opened my eyes again, the sky above me was beginning to turn purple. It appeared as if a storm was coming. The wind suddenly picked up as it raged around me like a hurricane. Who knew Miroku's favorite color could be so violent? Everything around me was suddenly uprooted and sucked toward the growing clouds of darkness. I hated the darkness. It left me cold and lonely.

I closed my eyes and placed my hands over my ears, willing the storm to pass by without taking me with it. I gripped the pink flower tightly in my hand, refusing to let it be swallowed up with everything else. It was a fighter, and would never go down without using every last ounce of its energy to withstand the current.

I opened my eyes to see the river had turned red, murky and bubbling with heat. I watched as it began to overflow with the sudden rainfall of blood that stained my clothes red. I couldn't stand. The wind was too great that it would sweep me off my feet if I so much as moved. The red water crept up the hillside toward me, beckoning me to jump into its depth. Why did water want to swallow me? Why did the blood desire to suck my body dry? It hurt so much.

Heat seared up in front of me as the water sprayed up like a fountain. I closed my eyes against it, not wanting to see it rain down upon me. My skin burned with the touch, causing a shriek to tear from my throat. I shook to avoid the droplets, but the pain never left.

It would leave so many scars.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

I was screaming.

"Damn it, would you keep her still?"

"I'm trying!"

Who was fighting? They sounded so close. The grips around my arms and stomach tightened. Maybe if I stopped screaming, they would let go …

I breathed deeply to calm my body, and opened my eyes to see three fearful faces looking back at me.

"Kagome?"

It was Sango who spoke first.

"So much blood. So many scars," I mumbled, trying to remember what I had last seen.

"It was just a nightmare," my best friend assured, running a hand over my forehead.

Someone sighed beside me. "She hasn't eaten in days."

"Don't you think I know that, wolf-shit?" Inuyasha could be so temperamental sometimes.

"She must eat to regain her strength." Miroku was sitting at the base of a tree, his violet eyes watching me intently. "Don't let her fall back asleep."

I yawned and closed my eyes, unconcerned with their conversation. "Tired …"

"No, Kagome, listen to me," Inuyasha called through my drowsiness. He held my face firmly in his hands, forcing me to look at him. "You have to eat something. Then you can sleep."

I furrowed my brows with aggravation. "Not hungry."

He growled. "I didn't ask."

Before I knew what was happening, a hunk of charred meat was forced up to my face. It smelled weird and I had no intention of eating it, but with sleep only a few bites away, I felt my resolve wavering. I didn't taste anything when I bit into it, and didn't feel any different when I was done. I only thought of sleeping, as I was too tired to do anything else.

Just as I closed my eyes to give into my body's needs, Inuyasha snapped my head to attention once more. "Not yet, Kagome. You can't sleep yet."

"You said I could," I bit back, displeased with the way he lured me in.

"Come on, Kags," Sango called gently. "Let's go for a walk."

I couldn't tell how it happened, but next thing I knew, I was leaning on Sango and Kouga for support as they practically dragged me down the length of the beach. The ocean water lapped against the sand, just out of my reach. Did it want to drown me again?

"The signal fire has been burning strong," Sango commented from beside me. "And the kids are holding up pretty well so far."

Souta, Hitomi, and Kohaku were all right. The signal fire was still going. Those were definitely positive signs. How many days had passed since we started the fire though?

"You've been out for a few days," Kouga responded, as if hearing my thoughts. Had I spoken them aloud? "We've been worried about you."

"Yeah, you really scared us." I turned to see Sango giving me a really worried look.

"I'm okay," I promised. Although with my hoarse voice and weakened state, it was hardly convincing. I could read it in their eyes.

We walked along the length of the beach for what seemed like hours, but the sun never moved. Sango and Kouga talked to me about how everyone was doing. Miroku was still in pain, and although we worked hard to clean his wound with water every day, it appeared as if his broken leg was becoming infected. Inuyasha was constantly on edge about something, always tapping his fingers or pacing around the camp. I wasn't really sure why. Maybe he was just irritated that we had yet to see sign of rescue.

"Ayumi?" I mumbled, turning my head to look back at the camp, hoping to catch sight of our sick friend.

I didn't miss the way Sango and Kouga exchanged glances. "Come on, Kags," Kouga said quietly, turning us around. "Let's get you back to camp."

I was too tired to notice that they didn't answer my question. The promise of sleep had my thoughts drifting elsewhere. In less time than I thought possible, I was sitting down under a tree again, second guessing if we had gone for a walk at all.

"Inuyasha," I called, turning my eyes to my ex-boyfriend. I didn't really care at this point that we had a past or that we weren't meant to be. It didn't concern me that showing affection for him was wrong. I just knew that death would come for me soon. The dreams told me so. If I was going to die, I would have no regrets.

He sat down beside me with a puzzled look. "What is it, Kagome?"

I smiled and leaned my head on his shoulder, snuggling into the warmth his body heat offered. I felt a shiver race down my spine as he wrapped his arm around me, and my heart beat with the thrill of new found love.

The dreams weren't as bad then.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

"Hey there, Kagome!" Ayumi called over the courtyard in front of the high school. I turned around and smiled, waving to my friend. Eri and Yuka appeared soon after and the trio hurried to catch up with me on my walk home.

"Hi guys, how are you?" I greeted, slinging my backpack over my shoulder.

They fell into step beside me as we walked toward my family's shrine. "How are we?" Yuka asked with a raised brow. "We should be asking you that."

I cocked my head with confusion. "What do you mean?"

"You've been out sick for two weeks," Eri stated, exchanging a glance with Ayumi. "Your grandfather said it was your diabetes again."

Diabetes? I don't remember ever having diabetes before. Maybe gramps has gotten a little senile with old age. Besides, I was attending my Biology class yesterday at Tokyo University. Inuyasha and Kouga had gotten into a fight about something. Weren't we going on a trip?

I didn't have time to voice my thoughts to my friends, as they were already within their own conversation. Something about boys and classes, things I didn't have the luxury of gossiping about anymore.

"We'll see you later, Kagome!" Ayumi called as I parted ways with them. They waved at me with smiles and I felt my heart ache. Before I could tell them goodbye, Eri vanished into thin air. A frown marred Ayumi's lips as she began to fade, leaving Yuka to crumple to the ground with anguish. Tears rolled freely down her cheeks as she peered up at me with hopelessness in her eyes.

"Yo," a man called as he landed beside me. I turned startled eyes to see Inuyasha staring at me with a content expression. But at the same time, it wasn't Inuyasha at all. Although he had silver hair and gold eyes, a pair of dog ears sat upon his head and he was dressed in ridiculous red clothing. "You ready to head back?"

I didn't understand what he asked me. "Back where?" I questioned, completely baffled by the events that occurred within the last few minutes. "I don't understand."

He growled (which sounded strangely like a dog) and folded his arms into the sleeves of his strange attire. "We have to hunt for the jewel shards, remember?"

No, I didn't remember. I had no idea what 'jewel shards' were or where he wanted me to go. Did he hit his head too hard in the plane crash? Or was he just messing with me? I had to vote the latter, as we weren't on the best of terms right now.

I shook my head and quickened my pace, hoping he would get the hint and leave me alone. I rounded the corner of a building and was faced with a large forest. An old well stood in the middle of a clearing as a car zoomed passed me.

"Kagome, you've returned!" a woman called happily. I glanced over to see Sango dressed in what appeared a fighting outfit from feudal Japan. A large boomerang was slung over her shoulder and she was accompanied by her cat, Kirara, who had grown to an immense size.

"Perhaps we should stop at Kaede's hut before we continue our journey?" Miroku's violet eyes twinkled with humor as he walked toward me. He was dressed in old monk robes and carried a staff that jingled with each step.

And then before I could stop him, a little red-haired boy jumped into my arms. His green eyes shimmered with happiness. "We missed you, Kagome."

Tears came to my eyes as I fell to the ground, cradling Shippo to my chest. I ignored the shouts from my friends and allowed my body to wrack with sobs that came without fail.

Was everything to end in pain?

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

"Kagome," Inuyasha called to me, dragging me from sleep once more.

I was more aware this time. I could feel the sand beneath me and the gentle touch of the wind. The scent of the sea washed over me as Inuyasha shook my shoulder gently. Something whirred in the distance, although I had no idea what it was.

"Hm?" I mumbled groggily, opening my eyes to peer around me. The sky was golden as the sun rose just over the horizon, taking the bite out of the chilly air.

I looked up at my ex-boyfriend. His silver hair shined from the sunlight and his amber eyes were lit with hope that I didn't dare create. A rare smile was on his lips.

"Come on," he persuaded as he stood up.

I still didn't have the strength to walk on my own. Thinking it over, I suppose my willful starvation stole me of any function. My body didn't have the energy to do anything but sleep. Even now, I felt a yawn coming on.

Inuyasha picked me up bridal style as I slid my arms around his neck, feeling his hand grasp firmly around my back and thighs. He walked with quick strides as I listened to the cries from the other survivors. I didn't understand what they were so worked up about. I could tell by Inuyasha's posture that there was no danger.

I briefly saw Sango fall onto Miroku in an embrace as the children jumped up and down, waving their hands in the air. Yuka collapsed with tears streaming down her face, but a smile blessed her lips. It was all so confusing.

Inuyasha reached the edge of the beach to where the water lapped gently at our feet. He stood me up and wrapped a hand around my waist to support me. "Look, Kagome!" he cried happily, pointing toward the golden sky.

I looked up, feeling as if I was dreaming again. I thought about pinching myself, to make sure that this was no dream. But when I felt Inuyasha tighten his hold around me, and heard the rumble come closer, I knew it couldn't be a dream.

There, on the horizon, was a helicopter. It quickly approached us with a small boat following farther behind. I never thought I would be so happy in my life. I felt tears come to my eyes as I watched the helicopter fly overhead before circling around the island and coming back to us. The boat came closer and I heard a voice over a radio, calling out to us.

The waves crashed gently upon the sand as birds chirped from the trees. Gold faded to blue as the sun continued to rise above the horizon. And then something happened that had my heart fluttering in my chest. While everyone cried tears of joy behind us, and the wind brushed gently against my cheek, Inuyasha did something unexpected.

He swept me in his arms and kissed me.

A/N: How was that? I know the dreams may be a bit confusing, but if you'd like to try and figure out which each one meant (there were four total), by all means do. Let me know what you thought of this chapter. The story is winding down now, as you can tell, but I have a couple more small twists in store. So keep your eyes out for the next chapter.


	21. Beyond the Horizon

To those I couldn't respond to:

kicca: Yeah, a lot did happen in the last chapter. It was more so concentrating on Kagome's dreams and such, so not too much, but it did bring Inu and Kags relationship to the next level, as well as rescue arriving. There will probably be quite a bit in the next few chapters as well as this story comes to a close. Hope you enjoy it to the end, although don't hate me if the ending isn't one you predicted.

inumongirl18: I noticed that you reviewed for chapter eight, but I'll reply to it here. Someone had to die because if they didn't, it wouldn't be very realistic, now would it? I hope you're still reading, although I'm not sure what your thoughts were the last couple of chapters. You probably weren't exactly happy with me. Anyways, I'm hoping to make the last few chapters happier ones, and hopefully with no death. But don't be angry if the ending isn't the one you expected.

erica: I missed your reviews! It seems like forever since I got one from you. Thanks for all the compliments and such. I always look forward to what you have to say, and you're usually the one keeping me going sometimes via updating more often. And I know the last chapter ended on a happy note, I think this one is going to bring everything back down. Hope you don't hate me too much for the plot twist, but you never know what the epilogue will hold. ;)

**Somewhere Beyond This**

**Chapter 21: Beyond the Horizon**

The helicopter blades whirred overhead as I watched it lift off into the sky, bringing Ayumi and Yuka further away from us. I ignored the bustling activity around me as everyone was loaded onto the boat and quickly checked over for serious injuries. I vaguely registered Sango and Miroku telling the captain about the bodies that littered the shore. Memories of those lost flitted through my mind. I could only wrap my hand tighter around the cloth beneath my palm, feeling Inuyasha's arms tighten around me for comfort.

When it was my turn to be examined, he set me down on some kind of bed. I looked up into his eyes pleadingly, not wanting him to leave me. I needed to feel his touch so I knew I was still alive; that I wasn't about to wake up from a dream and be back on the island. He was my rock to reality.

A doctor was immediately upon me, pushing Inuyasha out of the way. He quickly examined me to see if I needed dire medical attention. However, my eyes never left the silver-haired boy a few feet away.

Inuyasha turned his eyes toward a stout man who I knew had to be the captain. I was able to catch a few words as they spoke quietly, although not enough to know what they were talking about. They mentioned something about the ocean and the other side of the island. And then a single word echoed through my mind and shot straight through my chest.

"… Kikyo …"

My heart skipped a beat as I heard her name. I could no longer comprehend the words spoken, or what the doctor prodded me with. I could only stare at Inuyasha, trying to read his expression, and the way his amber eyes turned to look at me. They were filled with remorse and pain. I wasn't able to tell if he had just been informed of Kikyo's death, or if it was from the one thing I refused to acknowledge.

Minutes later, the doctor left me alone, passing along my diagnosis to one of the crew members, before leaving the cabin. I didn't even realize it. I tried desperately to listen to the conversation between Inuyasha and the captain, but the blood rushing to my ears wouldn't allow it. I only repeated Kikyo's name over and over again in my head, bringing forth images from before the crash and memories from a nightmare.

When they finally finished talking, I felt my breath hitch in my throat. Inuyasha shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and began walking toward me. His eyes were covered in shadows as he bent his head down, leaving me unable to read the emotion in his gaze.

I didn't know what I was expecting. I wasn't sure if I wanted to hear what he was about to tell me. I had no clue if I wanted to run away from his words, or sit there and receive the truth head on. What I did know is that whatever he told me in this moment would decide our future.

"Kagome," he said quietly from his place beside me.

I swallowed past the lump in my throat and glanced up. The look in his eyes almost made me crumble to the ground, so I gripped the mattress tighter. I fought not to turn away or to ignore the regret that shone brightly in his eyes.

Somehow I already knew what he was going to say. Every fiber of my being told me to run away before he spoke the words that would be my very undoing. I wasn't sure if my heart could take any more pain, for it was sure to shatter.

Yet, something made me listen to him. Maybe it was because I was in love with him. Maybe it was because I cared for him so much that I was able to sit there and comprehend each word that fell from his lips.

"Kikyo …" he said, swallowing as he tried to tell me the fate of his girlfriend. "She's … she's alive."

And my world came crumbling down.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

I wasn't sure how long it had been since I had spoken with Inuyasha. I walked around the ship robotically, unsure how I ended up on the stern. I felt numb. I couldn't process a single thought or react to the cool ocean wind that swept around the ship. I just knew that whatever emotions I may have possessed mere days ago, were dead to me now. I didn't feel any heartache, and tears didn't well in my eyes. I just felt … empty.

My eyes sought a person standing on the edge of the ship with a dark-haired girl beside him. I sucked in a mouthful of air, watching as she touched his arm gently and looked up at him with a bright smile.

Moments ago, I would have been feeling something along the lines of relief, happiness, and pain. I forced a smile upon my lips in an effort to hide my hollow core. I even allowed a single tear to roll down my cheek, although it took great effort. I made my way toward them, trying to keep myself from falling apart at the seams.

"Kagome!" she called, her radiant eyes landing on me.

My heart thudded painfully in my chest when my name fell from her lips. "Hey, Rin," I greeted. "How are you feeling?"

She grinned at me. "I'm doing great."

I turned hesitant eyes to look up at the silver-haired man beside her. "How is her, uh, condition?"

"Temporary amnesia," he stated while glancing over the girl in question with cold and calculating eyes. "Everything should return momentarily."

I nodded my head absently as I tried to process all of this information. According to Sango, Sesshomaru and Rin made contact with rescue on the other side of the island. With some other straggling survivors, they built a signal fire just like we had, but it had been seen by the coast guard, who happened to be looking in the wrong direction. Their coordinates were triangulated and sent to Japan, where help had been sent to search for us days prior.

I was in utter disbelief when I heard what had happened. I could not only believe that Sesshomaru had been the one to get rescue, but also because of the fact that the pair had made it across the entire island without injury.

No one knew if anything occurred between the two during their adventure, but I was sure that once Rin regained her memories completely, and we were back in our college dorm room, she would spill. That was just her nature. Her innocent demeanor is what I loved about her.

"Thank you," I mumbled to Sesshomaru. A perfectly arched brow rose behind silver bangs before he simply turned his eyes to the sea.

He kept Rin safe, and for that I was grateful. But he also did something that went beyond what I could ever fathom. The cold and heartless Sesshomaru, who only helped himself, saved us all.

"Where is your homework?" an elderly man bellowed.

Rin and I turned around to see Mr. Totosai in all his glory, holding his walking stick above his head as he yelled at Kouga.

"We were stranded on a fucking island, old geezer!" my ex-boyfriend retaliated while waving his hands in defense. "I ain't worried about school!"

His response earned him a smack upside the head by Totosai's cane, causing Kouga to cringe and cover the bump on his head.

"Learn to respect your elders!" our professor yelled before shuffling off to find someone else to torment.

I smiled. To be honest, I didn't think Totosai would survive the crash, let alone stay alive for days floating on an airplane seat in the middle of the ocean. He must have some good karma built up for that one. However, I had to admit I was glad. Even if he was a bit quirky, I don't think biology would be the same without him.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

"Hey," I mumbled softly as I stepped into one of the bedroom cabins.

Souta was sitting on the bed. A troubled expression was etched into his face as he looked out the window. He glanced at me, flashing a small smile. "Hi Sis."

I sat down beside him and crossed my legs at the ankles. "How are you doing?" I swept a strand of dark hair over my shoulder. It felt knotted and tangled from days without wash, but I wouldn't be able to shower until we reached the dock.

My brother shrugged and propped his elbow on bended knee. "I've been better."

We were silent for a few minutes, listening to the boat as it sailed over the water. "We'll be home soon," I whispered.

He nodded, but didn't look as happy as I thought he would be. After all, we had just been rescued from surviving days on a deserted island. He should be overjoyed right now, running up and down the ship with Kohaku to pass the time back to dock. Instead, he only looked out that damn window with a distant look in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

Souta clenched his jaw and made a fist, as if trying hard to keep something from me. "Nothing," he grounded out, although I could see the film of tears over his eyes.

"Souta, I'm your sister," I said quietly, moving closer to him and grasping his hand in mine. "You can talk to me."

He peered at me with hesitant agate eyes, contemplating if he could trust my words. After a few moments, he finally looked away and stared at the floor of the ship.

"I just can't believe he's gone," was his whispered reply.

I could hear the agony in his voice and I desperately wanted to soothe his heartache. I knew who he was talking about. The red-headed boy he befriended years ago was no longer there to bring about smiles with his pranks. He would get this mischievous look in his eyes when he was up to no good, or a goofy grin on his face when he knew something no one else did. And now we would never see him again.

"He was my friend, Kags," Souta told me now, sniffling and wiping the back of his hand under his nose like a child. "I mean, I know that he's in a better place and that he can see his parents, but why does it still hurt so much?"

"Nothing can ever make death hurt less, Souta," I told him with a heavy heart. "No words or thoughts can take away the pain. Only time can do that, and even then it never leaves completely."

He sniffled and I could tell he was fighting back the tears. "So what do I do, Kagome?" His voice sounded so tired and broken, I knew my heart was breaking.

I sighed and squeezed his hand. "You grieve. You breakdown; you cry and scream until your throat turns hoarse. And when you're done, you find the strength to stand and move forward. Because that's all a person can do."

My brother squeezed his eyes shut and nodded. His lips quivered and then suddenly he was in my arms. His strangled cries reached my ears as his tears soaked through my shirt. I wrapped myself around him, holding him as close as I could, while I ran my fingers through his hair.

I had no words of comfort to say to him. I couldn't promise that things would get better and I couldn't promise that time would ease the pain. His friend was dead, and the only thing I could do for him was allow him to hold on.

Maybe I was a little selfish. Because although he didn't know it, I was holding on to him, too.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

The boat creaked through the waves of the ocean. Sunshine filtered through the parted blinds and warmed the table top. I sighed with content, listening to the water swirl and the soft chatter in the next room. Although it was nothing extraordinary, it was surreal all the same. The last few days felt like a bad dream, and it was hard to wrap my mind around everything that had occurred.

"You have to eat, Kagome," Sango told me sternly.

I glanced up to look at where she sat across from me. "I'm not hungry," I replied, moving around the food on my plate with a pair of chopsticks. I leaned against my palm and rested my elbow on the table.

She sighed. "You've barely taken a bite," she chided gently. "You heard what the doctor said."

I wrinkled my nose. According to him, I was dehydrated and malnourished, things that could easily be cured by a few good meals. The only problem was that I didn't want to eat. My stomach was constantly in knots and churning with the emotions of a broken heart.

"I know," I lamented before giving up and setting down my eating utensils. I put my head in my hands and closed my eyes. I wasn't sure what to do anymore.

Sango stayed silent and I heard her moving around the dishes on the table. When I looked up, she had her plates and bowls piled together and stood up to deposit them in a nearby dish bin. I turned my gaze out toward the water once more, seeing nothing but the sky and the ocean. It seemed so vast, and I finally understood why it took rescue so long to find us.

"Come on," my best friend said, standing beside me with a smile. "Why don't we go visit Miroku, huh? He's always one to cheer a girl up."

I smiled gratefully and followed her out of the small mess hall and into the tight corridors of the ship. The infirmary was on the upper deck near the captain's quarters. We were greeted by the blinding sunlight as we walked up the stairs and out into the open deck.

There weren't many people aboard the ship: The few of us survivors, the captain, a few shipmates, and a doctor. Given that everyone was busy tending to the wounded, no one was really up and about.

Inuyasha was leaning against the railing at the head of the ship, his amber eyes set outward toward the ocean. His clothes moved with the breeze and his silver hair brushed gently against his cheek.

"I'll meet you there," I told Sango as she made her way toward the infirmary and her new boyfriend. They had become official as they boarded the ship, shouting their inner-most feelings to each other as they were each taken to separate cabins to recuperate.

She gave me a knowing smile and squeezed my hand reassuringly before disappearing inside, leaving me to face the wrenching heartache that threatened to devour me whole.

I thought that when Inuyasha kissed me on the shore and held me in his arms, that we were going to be okay – that when we returned home, he would confess his love to me and we would live happily-ever-after. Oh, how wrong I was.

It was a mistake, he told me. He had been caught up in the heat of the moment. It wasn't me he was kissing. It wasn't me he wanted to wrap in his arms and lather with undying affection.

It wasn't me.

I folded my arms around myself and steeled my resolve to clear the waters between us. My heart constricted painfully in my chest with every step I took toward my ex-boyfriend. My _forever_ ex-boyfriend. I would no longer have the privilege to hope for something that would never be.

"Hey," I greeted as I stepped up beside him, keeping my face passive even though my insides were screaming.

Inuyasha glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. "She's waiting for me," he said solemnly, his eyes trained on the blue horizon.

"I know," I replied, knowing that this is what needed to be done. Whatever had occurred between us on the island … it didn't matter. None of it did. When we reached the shore and returned to the reality we knew, our time spent together would mean nothing.

He furrowed his brows and looked at me. "Kagome, I—"

"Don't," I interrupted him with a shake of my head. I smiled sadly at him. "I understand, Inuyasha. I know that when we get back, things will return to normal."

He looked at me for a long time, studying me in a manner I knew he never would again. "Are you okay with that?"

I thought it over, nibbling on my bottom lip as I leaned against the railing. I looked out into the endless ocean, as if asking for the answer I sought. I knew it couldn't give it to me. My heart was the only place such an answer resided.

I looked up at him with adoration in my eyes. I would always love him, no matter how far time and distance separated us. There was no doubt in my mind that he would forever hold a place within my heart as my one true love.

After a few moments, I nodded slowly, before turning my gaze outward to the sea once more. "As long as you're happy," I began, smiling softly as I covered his hand with mine. "So am I."

I looked up at him, noting the relief in his eyes, covering up some hidden pain he didn't want me to see. He smiled at me then, causing my knees to feel weak, as he squeezed my hand in return.

I didn't know what fate had in store for me. All I knew is that Inuyasha was a part of my past, and would never be a part of the future I desired for the two of us. I had to come to terms with that. I had to accept it and move on. Because if I didn't, the ache in my chest would never fade, and his memory would never vanish.

With a film of tears in my eyes, I watched as land appeared on the horizon, followed by tall buildings and bustling traffic noises. I sighed deeply and readied myself for what waited just beyond the harbor.

A/N: I think this has been the longest it's taken me to update this story thus far ... Hm, maybe not. But it was still a long time. And I don't really have a good excuse save for the fact that my social life has gotten busier over the summer, and a new love interest is holding most of my attention. So you can blame him. I like this chapter, but parts of it made me want to gag. However, I edited it numerous times and just don't feel like editing anymore. Hope you enjoy and let me know what you think. Most likely there are only two chapters left.


	22. A Girl and Her Heartbroken World

To those I couldn't respond to:

rossgirl1997: I know, I know … Shippo's death was a hard decision on my part, but I had to kill off one of the characters. Otherwise it wouldn't be very realistic now would it? Hopefully you're still reading, as you reviewed chapter 16. If I haven't scared you off yet, let me know what you think of the story so far. Thanks for reviewing!

Vanessa: I'm glad you enjoyed it. As for if Inuyasha and Kagome will be together, you'll just have to keep reading to find out, now won't you? Let me know what you think.

erica: I have been hiding under the mounds of school work that won't leave me alone. So it's not entirely my fault. Although, it doesn't help that I'm a bit of a procrastinator, does it? I'll try to get back to your email sometime soon. I don't think I've replied to it yet … As far as you know, Inuyasha and Kagome will not end up together. But who knows, I may have one last twist in store for them. And again, thanks for all the compliments. I hope you find some of my other stories in the future worthy of your reviews. ;b

InuKag: Thanks a bunch for the compliment! I know, I threw in some last minute conflict before the story ends. I may have a final twist in store for our favorite couple, so keep your eyes open. Glad you're enjoying it so far.

InuyashaKagome: Honestly, I sometimes felt as if Kagome was out of character or not acting how she should be. But thanks for letting me know that I was right on the mark. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story, and I hope to give it a good ending where everyone wins.

**Somewhere Beyond This**

**Chapter 22: A Girl and Her Heartbroken World**

_A cold wind swept over the grounds of the Sunset Shrine, causing me to shiver beneath my winter coat. A cotton hat adorned my dark tresses and mittens covered my hands. I sniffled and continued sweeping fresh-fallen snow off the stone path. The night would bring freezing rain. I had to clear the courtyard; otherwise it could be a sheet of ice tomorrow._

_Just as my nose was becoming numb to the frigid air, the sound of footsteps caught my attention. I looked up to spy a young boy my age, bowing his head against the cold. His odd-colored hair flew freely from a red cap, and his tired expression spoke of a long night._

"_Hey, there," I called out to him, noting the way he only shuffled by and stood in front of the Sacred Tree. "What'cha doin'?"_

_He didn't seem to hear me, so I dropped my broom and walked over to him, stuffing my hands into the pockets of my coat. My shoes crunched against the snow, but the boy made no motion to acknowledge my presence._

_My curiosity turned to concern once I was close enough to see the dried tear tracks on his cheeks and the redness that rimmed his eyes. "Hey, are you okay?" I asked in a softer tone, furrowing my brows._

_He didn't answer. He kept his gaze on the bare branches of the tree and licked his chapped lips. It was obvious he had been wandering around outside for some time. His cheeks were pink and the tips of his fingers were a faint tint of blue. Not to mention that his shoes appeared totally soaked from the snow._

_I sighed. "You know, this tree has been here for generations," I mumbled quietly, following his gaze. "It's always watched over us."_

_My words hung in the air as a few minutes passed in silence. The boy didn't respond, but he didn't move away either. So I kept talking._

"_When I was little," I began with a small smile. "I thought it was so tall. I even believed that its branches could reach heaven. I talked to the Sacred Tree, hoping my dad was listening."_

_The wind howled around us as a few snowflakes fell from the sky. It was getting late. Soon it would be completely dark and the cold would intensify ten-fold. I nibbled my lip. I really should return to my chores before the sunset. Otherwise, gramps would be upset with me. I took a step forward to return to the abandoned broom, but halted in my tracks._

"_Does it ever stop?" the boy spoke, his voice a mere whisper that I had to strain to hear._

_I furrowed my brows with confusion and looked over at him. "What?"_

_He bowed his head, tearing his eyes away from the tree. "The hurt. Does it ever go away?"_

_I still didn't understand what exactly he was talking about, but given the circumstances, I had to guess he recently lost someone close to him._

"_No," I replied with a slow shake of my head. "But … every day it gets a little easier to deal with. And as time passes, you'll find you don't need to cry anymore."_

_For the first time, he turned his eyes to look at me. Such a beautiful shade of amber, wrought with despair. I could almost feel my heart breaking. Not because of how pained he looked, but because what I saw in his eyes was something I felt the night my father had passed._

"_What's your name?" I asked quietly, not understanding why I needed to know._

_He appeared guarded at first, and took his time in responding. But finally, in a grumbled whisper, he said, "Inuyasha."_

"_Inuyasha …" I repeated, as if to save it in my memory. I smiled. "I'm Kagome."_

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

I didn't really understand where I had gone or where I had been. I just knew the darkness. I desired it. When it consumed me, I didn't have to think about anything. I would only drift, allowing it to bring me wherever it wished. Sometimes it brought memories, other times just dreams I couldn't explain. Mostly it brought me comfort.

It was so warm. I snuggled further into it, even as I felt it pull away slightly. I didn't want it to go. When it wasn't there, I was forced to face the pain. It was something I didn't want to cope with. I knew I would have to one day. But not today.

A sigh escaped my lips. It was obviously a losing battle. Rays of sunlight snuck through slits in my blinds, trying to rouse me from sleep. I pulled my blanket over my head. I didn't want to get up yet. What was the point?

Slowly, I squinted my eyes and peered over the blanket. My room was still shrouded in semi-darkness, save for the small beam of light. My clock blinked midnight over and over again. I broke it on purpose. That way I couldn't keep track of the time. I had no clue how many days had passed since my return, or even if it had been months. The only semblance of time I had was from my need to consume food and use the bathroom.

I blearily closed my eyes and hid beneath the covers once more. I impatiently waited for the darkness, for the numbness to take effect. Then there would be no pain.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

"_You're an idiot," I said while trying to muffle a giggle. _

_Inuyasha walked beside me, his brows furrowed in annoyance and a scowl on his face. In his hand was an ice cream cone – or what was left of it anyways. The chocolate ice cream had landed on the pavement after I had given him a playful shove. _

"_This is all your fault," he grumbled, turning to glare at me._

_I happily licked my vanilla ice cream. "Nope. I believe you were the one who insulted me first."_

"_You didn't have to shove me!" _

"_You deserved it," I replied with a shrug. I smiled. "You have to know how to treat a lady."_

"_Keh," he scoffed with a roll of his eyes. He muttered a few words under his breath before dumping the remainder of his dessert in a nearby trash can._

_For a few minutes, the walk home was unusually quiet. Inuyasha had clammed up, shoving his hands in the pockets of his school uniform and keeping his head down. I was a bit curious about his behavior. He was never one to stay quiet, or think deeply. It was kind of unsettling._

"_Hey, are we still on for hanging out Friday night?" I asked him, hoping to pull him out of whatever funk he was in. "Miroku wants us to meet this girl he's been gushing about."_

_He seemed to snap out of his train of thought and turned to look at me. "Huh? Oh, yeah, sure. Whatever." Then he was back to being distant. And if I wasn't mistaken, was he blushing?_

_I finished my ice cream and heaved my back pack higher on my shoulders. If something was on his mind, he would tell me when he was ready. I never liked to pry, especially when it came to him. He wasn't exactly the kind of person to express his thoughts openly._

_The remainder of the walk was rather silent, with only the sound of passing cars as our companion. I didn't mind too much. It gave me a chance to dive into my thoughts, which had become rather troublesome lately. They mostly consisted of the boy walking beside me, and with our history, it wasn't exactly easy to deal with._

_We had known each other for years, and slowly became good friends. Recently, however, things were beginning to change. I could feel it. The way his eyes looked at me and the color of his hair when it shined in the sun. My heart beat faster when he was near and his touch made my skin burn with desire. I couldn't exactly explain it clearly._

_By the time we reached the steps of my shrine, the sun had already begun to set. _

"_Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow, Inuyasha," I said._

_He was so deep in thought; I guess he didn't realize we had already reached our parting point. He looked surprised and took a moment to get his bearings._

"_Yeah," he mumbled distractedly. "Sure."_

_I frowned. "Alright, then," I replied slowly. "See you later." I turned to begin the climb up the long flight of steps, only to halt in my tracks._

"_Kagome, wait," he called after me._

_I looked over my shoulder with a curious expression. "Is everything okay?"_

_He appeared very nervous about something. He clenched and unclenched his hands, his eyes looked everywhere but me, and he swallowed slowly. "Well … It's just …"_

_My heart began beating faster and my mouth ran dry. Maybe it was hope, or maybe it was fear, but somehow I knew what he was going to say. "What is it?"_

_Inuyasha rubbed the back of his neck nervously before squinting his eyes and mumbling something I couldn't understand. _

_I cocked my head with confusion. "I'm sorry, what'd you say?"_

_He scowled and looked me straight in the eye. "I said, would you wanna grab dinner with me sometime?"_

_I blinked. Did I hear right? I blinked again. Yes, I think I did._

_His face was the shade of scarlet. "Never mind, this was stupid." He turned to walk away._

"_Yes," I called after him. He turned around and looked at me with wide eyes. "Thursday night?"_

_It took a moment, but then it was like a switch had been flipped. The confidence came back into his eyes and his infamous smirk fell upon his lips. "It's a date."_

_I smiled, trying to ignore my shortness of breath and my hammering heart. "It's a date."_

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

I could see it now – all the differences between Kikyo and me.

My hair was too wavy and my eyes too wide. My figure was too curvy and my lips too full. It was no wonder Inuyasha chose her over me. She was so beautiful and was everything he wanted.

Everything I could never be for him.

While I was clumsy and stubborn, Kikyo walked with grace and poise. She was the definition of perfection, minus the few times in which she threw a snide comment my way. It was obvious why he chose her. I could see that now.

With a dejected sigh, I turned away from the mirror. It was sunset. The sky was a beautiful shade of purple and blue, with the last ray of sunlight peaking just over the horizon. Like the last ray of hope, being swallowed up by the darkness. I frowned. I was becoming quite the pessimistic.

I briefly glanced at my phone to check my messages. It had been on silent for days now. I had eleven voicemails, thirty-four missed calls, and fifty-one text messages. I scrolled through them, seeing all the names of those I cared about.

All except one.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

_A flurry of stars twinkled brightly above us as Inuyasha walked us home for the night. He carried me on his back (although I protested loudly against it) and didn't seem to have any trouble keeping a steady stride. I tightened my hand into his shirt and closed my eyes._

_I listened to the sounds around us. I could faintly hear traffic coming from the city, and nocturnal animals spoke in hushed whispers. A gentle breeze kissed my cheek and Inuyasha's shallow breathing calmed my heart._

_It was nights like these where I felt at peace. The world around us seemed quiet and nothing mattered except the two of us. I smiled. It just felt so … right._

_We came to the steps of the shrine and he effortlessly carried both of us up the long flight of stairs. _

"_Inuyasha," I murmured into his hair, which glinted softly in the moonlight._

"_What is it, Kagome?"_

"_I don't want to go in yet," I whispered, gently playing with the ends of his hair. _

_He was quiet for a moment. "We don't have to."_

_I smiled softly. My world had slowly begun to revolve around the silver-haired boy. He was childish and stubborn from time to time, but he made me feel complete. As if he was the other half of my soul. It wasn't anything I could begin to explain._

_Without a word, Inuyasha walked over to the Sacred Tree. It was the one place I found myself drawn to again and again for the serenity it brought._

_I slipped off his back as he came to a stop, and straightened out my shirt. With a smile, I took a few steps forward and reached out with my hand, gently running it over the large scar upon the Sacred Tree. It was said to be from a war that waged centuries ago between mythical creatures. I lightly shook my head. My gramps was always coming up with such stories._

_I suddenly felt arms wrap around my stomach as Inuyasha nuzzled my neck. I bit my lip and closed my eyes, feeling a delightful shiver run down my spine. My heart rate increased as he kissed my skin lightly, almost teasing me. _

_I tilted my head to the side. "I had a really good time tonight," I mumbled. "Thank you."_

"_Keh," was his response, as he spun me around in his arms. "It was just dinner and a movie."_

_I smiled and rolled my eyes. "Maybe, but it was with you."_

_The darkness covered the faint blush on his cheeks, and he responded by tenderly kissing me on the lips. I didn't need sweet words as Romeo spoke to Juliet. I didn't need flowers and chocolates delivered to me every day of the week. I didn't even need a proclamation of love to love in return._

_What Inuyasha did for me, whether he knew it or not, was enough. He held me when I cried, made me laugh when I didn't want to smile, and almost understood my every thought. Sure, he picked petty fights, but he always made them up. _

_The way he looked at me with a small smile and brushed his fingers against my hand; it made me realize that his feelings for me went beyond just a crush. There was more to it than that. I wasn't sure if it went so far as love, but I did know one thing. _

I_ was in love with _him_._

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

I swiped my hand across the fogged mirror. Again I scrutinized my reflection. This time, however, I wasn't looking for all the ways I wasn't like Kikyo. Instead, I was looking at a different image, who had cut off all connection with the girl.

The day before, I had managed to gather enough strength to visit the salon, and my hair was now cropped short around my ears. It was going to be hard to get used to, but with the mental state I was in, seeing my long, wavy hair would do nothing for my recovery.

I began wearing different clothing as well. No longer did I dress in simple jeans and a t-shirt. Instead, I found tank tops and skirts to hug my curves nicely, and accessorized with simple jewelry. It was definitely a whole new me, but I knew that I needed the change.

With a sigh, I finished up in the bathroom and headed downstairs for breakfast. Over the past couple of days, I had slowly begun immersing myself back within my family. I learned that my brother was doing quite well with the psychiatrist he was seeing. It was good to hear, considering Shippo's death hit him pretty hard.

"Good morning, Kagome," my mother greeted me as I came downstairs.

I smiled and nodded my head in return. I could faintly hear my grandfather arguing in the next room with Souta, probably over some video game. The old man never understood them.

My mom placed a plate of food down in front of me as soon as I took my seat. She took her place across from me and we ate in silence for a while. I didn't rush or try and think. I just savored the meal and stared out the window, watching the trees bloom with fresh buds.

"Have you been keeping up with your assignments?" my mother asked me.

I nodded. "Yeah, I already emailed all my work back to my professors. It's not like I have much else to do."

It was a poor attempt at dry humor, I'll admit. But I wasn't exactly in the laughing mood. I had decided to finish the semester from the comfort of my home. I didn't have the strength to return to the classroom, especially Biology. There was just too much that had happened since I had last stepped foot in there. Eri was gone, my friend was dating my ex, and the love of my life didn't love me in return. It was just easier if I didn't put myself through that.

A girl's heart could only take so much.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

_I pushed through the massive crowd of people who seemed to become a brick wall. Smoke hovered thickly in the air, and it smelled of sweat and alcohol. I mentally cursed Inuyasha for bringing us to this party in the first place. It was originally supposed to be a small group of people we knew from school, but as word spread, so did the invitations. _

_Sometime in the last twenty minutes, while I was occupied with some slurred conversation that a drunken girl was trying to have with me, I had lost Inuyasha. One moment he was standing right beside me, looking rather anxious, and the next he was gone. I figured he must have had to use the bathroom or something, but when he didn't return, I began to worry._

_I knew he could take care of himself. It was me I was more concerned with. I felt safe when he was around, and seeing as how there were way too many people and a large percent of them were not in the right state of mind due to the alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs, I worried for myself. I wasn't exactly the strongest person, so one drunken guy could get at me with no problem._

_I furrowed my brows. This was way out of the ordinary for Inuyasha. Most times he wouldn't allow me to leave his sight, and that meant public places like the park or the mall. But we were at a high school party with people we didn't even know. I would expect him to have his guard up full-force and be watching everyone with steely eyes._

_Panic began to set in._

_I could have sworn I looked over every inch of the downstairs. Inuyasha, with his strange colored hair, wasn't exactly easy to lose. I had already been pawed by numerous hands, and I could feel a cold shiver running down my spine with each glance sent my way. _

_I hurried upstairs, careful not to trip over the group of girls passed out drunk, and opened the first door on my left. I stepped into the pitch-black room and pressed myself up against the wall. I need to take a breather, to recollect my thoughts and figure things out._

_I had already tried calling Inuyasha's phone, but he didn't answer. Miroku and Sango were on a movie date and I didn't want to interrupt them with one of my silly freak-outs. I mean, Inuyasha was obviously here somewhere. He wouldn't have left without me. I just had to find him._

_For the first time since I stepped into the room, I heard the faint sound of people moving. I covered my hand with my mouth. I hadn't even thought of the possibility that the room could be occupied. I felt heat in my cheeks. If the soft moans I heard were any indication, then I was absolutely mortified._

_I turned to leave the room, hoping they were too busy to realize that I had entered, when I stopped. The man was calling out the girl's name, who was unfamiliar to me. But his voice – his deep soothing voice that had comforted me one too many times – that _was_ familiar to me._

_I could have sworn my heart skipped a beat and a shiver raced down my spine. My mouth felt dry and a lump stuck in my throat. I knew I shouldn't turn the light on, that it was rude, inconsiderate, and downright embarrassing. But a large part of me needed to know. I needed to either confirm my worst fears or humiliate myself for even thinking such a thing. I just … I had to know._

_With trembling hands, I flipped on the switch. The man cursed and the woman shrieked, but the only thing I heard was a heart breaking – a heart, I regretted to say, that belonged to me._

_There, tangled up in the bed sheets, was a silver-haired boy with eyes the color of amber. His face had drained of color when he saw me, but his hazy eyes didn't plead for forgiveness. Instead, they only stared right through me, as if I wasn't there at all._

_I felt the tears welling in my eyes, but I wouldn't let them fall. I refused to allow him to see the burning anguish my heart was in._

_Instead, I threw open the door and ran out into the hallway. I pushed passed what seemed like hundreds of people. I somehow found the front door and ran out into the humid summer air, barely keeping my balance as I stumbled down the lawn. I pushed my legs to move faster, trying in vain to distance myself from the pain. _

_But even as I ran down the street and into the night, around several corners and into the public park, my chest still constricted with heartbreak._

_As I fell to the ground with a cry and allowed the tears to flow freely down my cheeks, I realized something. Inuyasha's eyes had widened with realization and his face had turned a ghostly pale, but not once did he say my name, not even as I ran away from him._

_I cried a lot that night. I released my heartache and tears of sorrow, wearing myself down to the point where exhaustion crept up on me. I felt my eyelids become heavy as the sun crested over the horizon and a final thought came to me just before I found comfort in sleep._

_He never came after me._

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

"Kagome, Sango's here!" my mother called from downstairs.

I pulled a brush through my hair a final time, tucked my cell phone in my pocket, and turned to look out the window at the brilliant blue sky. It was the last day of school before summer break began. I had finished up my exams hours ago and had already printed out my class schedule for the following semester.

I heard my bedroom door click open and turned around to smile at my best friend. "Hey, Sango." A lump lodged in my throat, but I forced it down. It was the first time we had seen each other since being rescued. We had only spoken over the phone since then.

"Kagome, is that you?" she called out, her eyes widening. "Your hair … it's short!"

I self-consciously ran a hand through it. "Do you like it?"

"Like it?" She shook her head and walked over to me, twirling the ends in her hand. "I love it! You look great!"

I giggled. "You look great, too."

"Please," she replied with a roll of her eyes. She flung herself across my bed and sighed. "I just spent the last five hours taking exams. I'm exhausted and want nothing to do but sleep right now."

I crossed the room and sat beside her. "So why don't you go home then? I'm sure yourbed would like you more than mine."

Sango narrowed her eyes playfully. "And leave my best friend to wallow in her misery for another day? I think not!" She suddenly stood up with vigor. "Summer vacation has just begun and I refuse to let you stay inside the entire time, thinking about things you shouldn't be thinking about."

I smiled. "I appreciate your concern, Sango, but I'm fine. I'm betting Miroku is wishing for your company right about now."

She waved my comment aside. "That lecher is fine on his own for a few hours. If he doesn't behave, he knows the consequences."

I giggled, knowing she was right. Sango was the only woman to ever put Miroku in his place.

"Besides," she continued in a gentler tone. "Miroku understands that my best friend needs me right now."

"Sango –" I began, but she cut me off with a shake of her head.

"Listen to me, Kagome. I know that things have been pretty rough on you, and I want you to know that I'm here for you. I'm not going to let you hurt alone, okay?"

I smiled, touched by her words of comfort. It was nice to know that at least one person wasn't going to let me down. "Thanks, Sango. That means a lot."

She squeezed my hand with affection. "Now, we have a long summer ahead of us, and I'm not letting you spend it alone. Tell me what you want to do, and I'll make it happen."

I wiped away the tears that had begun building in my eyes and glanced out the window. "I want to go away, Sango," I whispered. "Far away where it doesn't hurt anymore."

Her arm wrapped around my shoulders and she leaned her head against mine. "I don't know if I can do that for you, Kagome." She sighed and held my hand tighter. "But I'll take you as far away as I can. I only hope it's enough."

I nodded mutely and tried to ignore the tears that ran down my cheeks. Sango pulled me to her chest and ran her fingers through my hair, allowing me to share my burdens with her – the burden of heartache, of betrayal, and of wanting something I couldn't have.

I closed my eyes in acceptance and let go.

A/N: Long time, no update, huh? I'm really sorry its taken me so long. These last couple of months have been crazy busy with work, school, and the occasional social life. But I managed to crank out the rest of this chapter in two sittings, and I have to say I'm rather happy with the way it turned out. Unfortunately, though, this story will be coming to a close. There is only one more chapter left, that is more of an epilogue, and I'm wondering how you guys would like it to end. Give me your thoughts and ideas. Although I know how I want it to end, you may be able to sway my decision. By the way, it would be awesome if we could get the reviews up to 300 before the end. *wink wink* ;)


	23. In This Life

To those I couldn't respond to:

InuyashaKagome: Wow … I never knew I could have that kind of effect on people. I have to agree, though. Heartbreak is one thing I wish no one ever had to experience. I had it from both ends this past year – had my heartbroken and broke someone else's heart. And to be honest, it sucks from both points. In any case, glad you enjoyed the chapter. It was a bit startling, though, to hear the whole 'Kagome should end up with someone else' coming from a reader whose penname is 'InuyashaKagome.' Made me giggle just a bit, until I realized the severity. Swaying a hardcore IK fan? That's not something that's done every day. Lol

Dragonheart: I hope this was a happy enough ending for you. Feel free to let me know.

Silkrose: Hope I didn't take too long to update. Enjoy and let me know what you think.

**Somewhere Beyond This**

**Chapter 23: In This Life**

I didn't know it would be so hard.

I swallowed against the lump in my throat and tried to take deep breaths. The whirlwind of memories that hit me was like a punch to the gut. My tongue felt like sandpaper and heavy in my mouth. My eyes shifted around the airport terminal, searching the faces of strangers for something I didn't understand.

"_Hurry up and come back!"_

I shuddered as Eri's ghostly voice came back to me, and I could suddenly see all of us standing in the middle of the terminal, smiling and chatting like old friends. My stomach churned with nausea and I could feel the tears building in my eyes. This place was where the wheels began to turn, bringing about the end: of my relationship with Kouga, of my hope still holding out for Inuyasha, and of Eri's life.

This hallway was where it all began. It was on this blue carpet and within these white walls that everything had begun to change and fate had taken control. It was where I said goodbye to the girl I was before the plane crash.

I took a deep breath to calm my frantically beating heart. "Come on, Gate 3 is this way," I heard Sango say as she began walking ahead of me.

My eyes widened and my body suddenly felt so cold. It couldn't be. It just couldn't. Was the universe so cruel as to force me to relive my last happy memories before everything collapsed?

I shook my head slowly and stared down at the plane ticket in my hand, staring at that large, black number three that haunted me so. I felt weak in the knees and my heart clenched painfully.

Gate 3.

The same gate we boarded from all those months ago.

I closed my eyes and reminded myself to breathe.

In through the nose. Out through the mouth.

"Kagome, you coming?"

I opened my eyes and put on a smile before nodding at Sango's words.

I could do this.

I steeled my resolve and tightened my hand around the handle of my suitcase before following after my best friend. Each step I took felt like lead. My heart beat faster and my hands were cold with sweat.

Breathe, Kagome.

"_Breathe, dammit!"_

I stole a glance toward the big windows to my right, watching as a plane took off from the runway and became a white spec in the sky.

I still dreamt about the island. Sometimes I could still feel the cold water as it dragged me further and further into the ocean, watching as the plane burst into flames. I could remember the feeling of being unable to breathe, of life leaving me with every passing second.

"_Souta!"_

My brother's terrified gaze haunted my thoughts, even though he smiled at me just this morning and wished me luck. I couldn't forget the pained look on his face when we were on our way home after spending several days stranded, or the sobs that wracked his body as he grieved Shippo's death.

Memory after memory came flying back. Every detail that had occurred on the island seemed to return full force, as if I was living it all over again – Kouga's heartbroken expression; Miroku's wise words; Sango's headstrong attitude; and Inuyasha's rough yet protective demeanor.

Then that final moment, the last time I had spoken with Inuyasha, had my heart breaking again.

"_Don't," I interrupted him with a shake of my head. I smiled sadly at him. "I understand, Inuyasha. I know that when we get back, things will return to normal."_

_He looked at me for a long time, studying me in a manner I knew he never would again. "Are you okay with that?"_

I bit my lip and shook my head to clear his voice from my mind. Now was not the time to be dwelling on such painful memories. I had plenty of time to do that over the last couple of months. What I needed was to follow through with my plan.

Before I knew it, I was standing at my designated gate. That giant black three taunted me mockingly, as if knowing that I loathed it. It hung over the doorway like a guard and asked if I possessed the strength to pass through. I swallowed, recalling how a hundred people had walked through that gate all those weeks ago. Only nineteen came back.

"We don't have to go, you know," Sango said as she stood beside me and followed my gaze. "We can turn around right now and spend the summer at home."

I smiled and stole a glance at her. "Sango, you spent a fortune on these tickets. There's no way I'm backing out now. They're nonrefundable."

She shrugged. "Maybe, but you're more important than money, Kagome. Just tell me what you want to do."

"Thanks," I replied, sighing. "But I need to do this. Some time away will do me good."

She touched my arm gently. "I'll be there every step of the way."

I nodded and turned away from the entrance of Gate 3, deciding to look out the windows and try to think about something else. We still had a while before we would begin boarding. "Have you talked to Ayumi lately?"

"Yeah," Sango said as she set down her bag and stood beside me. "She and Yuka are going to spend the summer at home with Eri's family. They were all pretty close."

"_We just can't give up faith or else we're already beaten."_

I bit my lip, recalling Yuka, her eyes brimming with tears and a smile on her face. She had lost Eri and Ayumi had been on the brink of death, yet, she still encouraged us to keep going. I was amazed at her strength. I shook my head to clear the thoughts.

"And Miroku? How's he going to handle his girlfriend being gone all summer?"

She scowled and crossed her arms. "Oh, I've already spoken to him about his behavior and told him what was going to happen if he stepped out of line."

I raised a brow. "What could you have possibly said to Miroku that would make him cower in fear?"

She smiled deviously. "I threatened to castrate him."

I giggled nervously and cringed. "Don't you think that's taking it a bit too far?"

"This is Miroku we're talking about," she reminded me while twirling a loose strand of hair around her finger. "You can never take anything too far with him."

"That's true." We shared a laugh, bringing up memories of the lecher from our high school years.

I had to admit, I had noticed a change in everyone after those long days on the island. Although Miroku sounded cheery over the phone, sometimes there were lengthy pauses, and I knew his thoughts had turned elsewhere.

Rin was the same as she was when we boarded the flight. Her memories had returned, as the doctors had hoped. The only thing she didn't remember was the crash itself. I was thankful for that. At least she didn't wake up screaming from the nightmares.

She had actually left me a voicemail the other day, reminding me that I had to plan a day to have dinner with her and Ayame. She said they needed to catch me up on their new boyfriends. I hadn't spoken to Ayame since I first returned, though. It was strange knowing she started dating Kouga a few days ago. I was happy for the both of them, of course, but things still seemed awkward. Not to mention Rin was dating 'Sesshy', my ex-boyfriend's brother. Sometimes it all made me a little sick to my stomach.

"How's Kohaku doing?" I asked Sango before my mind could take another trip down memory-lane.

She shrugged and her smile lessened a degree. "He's quieter than he used to be, and sometimes I find him just sitting there, staring into space. What happened on that island really affected him. I mean, he's seeing a psychiatrist, but I still worry about him, you know?"

I wrapped my hand around hers. "He'll be okay, Sango," I said gently. "I promise."

"Yeah," she replied with a nod. "It's just going to be a tough road for him. I'm thankful he has Souta and Hitomi around to relate to."

I smiled, thinking about my brother's new found friend and possible future-girlfriend. After the tragic loss of her family, Hitomi went to stay with her grandparents, who didn't live too far away. It was nice that she and the boys were still able to get together.

Another plane took off and I watched as it slowly began down the runway. I wondered where its final destination was or where everyone on that plane was going to end up. Strange. I would think that after surviving something as horrific as a plane crash that I would be absolutely terrified to fly. But I wasn't. In my mind, flying half-way across the world was going to bring me an escape I desperately needed.

My eyes flickered over to Sango as she turned to peer over her shoulder. Her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed before she left my side. Curious, my gaze followed after her until she met up in the middle of the airport terminal, speaking to a dark-haired man.

I didn't know why Miroku was here. We had said our goodbyes to him hours earlier before leaving for the airport. We were supposed to be boarding at any moment, so he was cutting it a bit close.

I glanced down at the bags at my feet. I couldn't very well leave them, so I simply crossed my arms and watched the exchange between my best friend and her boyfriend. I thought perhaps he had simply forgotten to give her something, but I could tell Sango was a little unnerved and Miroku was trying to calm her down. I was too far away to hear what they were saying.

Then suddenly I knew. My eyes caught a glimpse of silver and I swore, spinning around to face the window. I wrapped my arms around my torso and bit my lip, praying to every heavenly being that it wasn't who I thought it was.

With a deep breath, I glanced over my shoulder and searched the crowd. Time seemed to stand still as I locked gazes with a beautiful shade of amber that haunted my every thought. I blinked, hoping it was just a figment of my imagination, but when he only stared at me with a pleading expression, I knew my hope was in vain.

Fear raced through me as I turned back toward the window. I took deep breaths and tried to calm my racing heart. I didn't understand why he was here. Hadn't he tortured me enough? Hadn't he already shattered my heart into a million pieces? What more could he possibly want?

I couldn't do this. Not here, not now, not when I was about to fly away from everything he had done to me. I was so close to freedom, so close to escaping the heartache that still beat strongly in my chest. I already felt the tears welling in my eyes, but I forced them back. I couldn't let him see me like that. I had shed more than enough tears over him.

I clutched a hand to my chest and swung my gaze to my right and left, looking for a way out. But I already knew there was none. I was cornered between the man I loved and the plane that would take me far away from him. If only we had boarded minutes earlier. If only we had booked an earlier flight. Then I wouldn't be standing here with baited breath.

"Kagome …" My name was a whisper on his lips.

I swallowed and tried to steady my nerves. "Inuyasha," I breathed, cursing how shaky my voice sounded. I didn't turn around, instead grasping at every ounce of courage I could find. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see you."

I bit my lip and shook my head. "You can't do that."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"You can't come all the way here just to see me, Inuyasha." I clenched my hand into a fist around my skirt. I peered at him out of the corner of my eye.

He looked at the floor and ran a hand through his hair. "Look, I wanted to call you, I did, but I didn't know what to say."

I spun around and glared up at him defiantly. "Then why come all the way here?" I demanded, my eyes searching his for the truth.

"Dammit, Kagome," he growled with frustration. "You know I've never been good with words."

"Even if you were, actions speak louder," I bit back fiercely. "You've made your intentions perfectly clear."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

I turned my head and gazed out the window, clenching my hands into fists at my side. "Please, just leave."

"What if I don't want to?"

I turned startled eyes toward him, ready to unleash every thought that ran through my head. He couldn't do this! He couldn't break my heart to pieces and decide to show up moments before my escape! How cruel could a person be? I was trying to get over him. Didn't he understand that seeing him caused my resolve to waver, that in his presence I wasn't sure if I should really be leaving or not?

I wanted to yell. I wanted to scream and shout until I couldn't anymore, until he knew exactly how much he hurt me. But I couldn't do any of that. Because as those thoughts ran through my head, he gently grasped my face, looked me lovingly in the eyes, and kissed me.

I knew I should pull away. This wasn't supposed to happen. I wasn't supposed to fall for his tricks again. He had more than enough chances to mend my broken heart, but he continually pushed me away. And now, when I decided that enough was enough and that I needed to move on, he shows up, wanting to take me back.

"I'm sorry," he murmured against my lips before kissing me again. "I'm so sorry."

He continued apologizing, kissing away the tears that I hadn't realized I shed. I wasn't sure what to do. I wasn't sure where my heart or my head was, and it scared me. One thing I always knew was that I was in love with Inuyasha. That he was my soul mate and forever my one true love.

My heart thudded in tune with his and I felt my lips responding. I kissed him back and curled my hands around his shirt, pulling him toward me. His arms wrapped around me and his hand became entangled in my hair. The rest of the world fell away and it was just the two of us. Everything seemed right and I didn't allow my thoughts to think about what the next step would be.

There was only him and me. It was all I had ever wanted.

"Now boarding for Flight 118. San Francisco, California."

The voice over the airport intercom brought me back to reality. I pushed Inuyasha away and stepped back. I took a few deep breaths and looked at him. Confusion flitted through his eyes.

"Kagome?" he questioned, reaching out a hand toward me.

I shook my head. "I can't do this, Inuyasha," I replied.

He furrowed his brows. "What do you mean?"

"After all we've been through, after everything I've felt, I just don't know where I stand anymore." I spoke the truth. "What you did to me … it broke me. For years I hid away the pain, pretending that I was fine, but after what happened on the island …" I simply shook my head.

"Kagome," he mumbled, taking a step toward me. "I said I was sorry. I never meant to say the things that I did. I was just … scared."

"Scared?" I asked, searching his gaze. "Why? What did you have to be afraid of?"

He clenched his hands into fists. "Keh, you know how my life's been. Hasn't been easy."

I nodded, recalling all the events he had gone through in his life, beginning with his mother's untimely death on the night we met. He had struggled ever since then. But did that give him any reason to do what he did? Did that make it all better?

"That's no excuse," I scolded him. "You're not the only one who's lost someone or faced hardships, Inuyasha. Tell me what you were so afraid of that you had to break my heart over and over again."

I stared at him with an unwavering gaze. I was so tired of this game. I wanted to move on. When was the last time I was happy? Would I ever be again? I wasn't sure, but I needed to figure it out, and Inuyasha wasn't a part of that.

He swallowed and finally looked at me. "I was afraid of love," he admitted quietly. "I didn't deserve to be loved and you deserve better. I'm just a washed up rich kid who's got nothin' goin' for him. I didn't want that for you."

I shook my head. "That wasn't for you to decide. You made your own assumptions and decisions. All I wanted was to love you. That was enough for me."

"Final call. Boarding for Flight 118. San Francisco, California."

I glanced over at Gate 3, watching as the line of people to board grew smaller. Sango had already come to grab her bag and was off to the side, saying her final farewell to Miroku for the duration of the summer. I sighed and grasped the handle of my suitcase.

"I have to go," I told him, slinging my carry-on over my shoulder.

He grasped my arm gently. "Wait." I looked up and his eyes begged me to stay just another moment.

"I can't." I shrugged off his arm and pushed past him.

"Keh. Fine, go, see if I care."

I stopped and glanced over my shoulder. I could tell he was hurt by his fallen expression. "It's for the best," I said, more so to reassure myself than him.

He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "So that's it, then?" he called after me. "You're just gonna walk away?"

I glared at him. "What did you expect me to do, Inuyasha? Fall into your arms and forget everything that happened between us?"

"Well ... no," he stuttered. "But I didn't think you'd just leave."

"I didn't think you'd leave either," I reminded him. "It happened anyways. Guess things don't always work out the way you want them to."

He scowled. "A man tells you he loves you and you don't even care. What the hell do you want from me then?"

I sighed, looking at him hesitantly. "You need to let me go," I told him with a heavy heart. "I need to figure out who I am without you. But knowing you're holding on will only hold me back. So please, Inuyasha, just ... just let me go."

His gaze was so intense. I could never begin to explain the sheer emotion that fell from his eyes. I wasn't sure if he understood what I was asking him to do, or if there was any way he could carry out my request, but when he looked away, I knew I had my answer.

I bit my lip and looked at him a moment longer before hoisting my bag higher on my shoulder. "Well then, I guess this is goodbye, Inuyasha."

"Keh, whatever." His voice was filled with defeat and I knew that my words had really stung.

Inuyasha had once been a very good friend to me before we began dating. We confided in one another about everything. I never wanted to hurt him or to see him upset. But in the end, that's exactly what I did. I couldn't say I was proud of it, or say that he deserved it. Sometimes, though, the truth hurts. It was out of my control.

Our final words spoken, I turned around to hide the tears and headed toward the gate before I changed my mind. I smiled politely as the lady checked my ticket and cleared me to board. I followed after Sango silently, wiping a hand across my cheeks as we walked onto the plane. We stowed our bags above our seats, and I sat down with an exasperated sigh.

"You okay?" Sango asked me, putting a hand over mine.

"No," I mumbled, tearing my gaze away from the window. I smiled at her. "But I will be."

The decision I made wasn't easy. It was probably one of the hardest things I would ever have to do. But I knew in my heart it was the right one. I was sick of always thinking about him and where Kikyo stood in all of this. I was tired of always feeling as if I was never good enough, or that I had done something wrong. And even though he came to me and confessed his love for me, I still needed to let him go.

In this life, there were no guarantees of happiness or promises of a bright future. There was heartache and betrayal, love and lost, courage and fear. The past was the past. I couldn't change it. The present, however, could be changed and perhaps lead to days in which I didn't feel like I had reached rock bottom.

Because somewhere beyond this moment, where the plane took off and blue sky surrounded us, I knew I would be okay. Maybe I would return at the end of the summer, or choose to stay in the United States. Perhaps I would fall in love with someone who far exceeded Inuyasha in my eyes, or perhaps I wouldn't. The best part of it was that I didn't know what was going to happen when we touched down. I only knew one thing.

Somewhere beyond this, I would find my happiness.

* * *

A/N: This is the end, folks. There will be no more chapters and no sequel. I may write a one-shot as a sort of spin-off, but even if I do, it won't be for a while. So don't hold your breath. I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I have enjoyed writing it.

Many thanks to:

My amazing beta, Dani: She didn't help directly with this story, but as many of my readers may know, since I began writing, my style and level has improved greatly. I would never have come this far if it wasn't for her.

All of my reviewers. This story started out as a small project me and a coauthor brainstormed together. I thought nothing of the outcome or where it would lead. And here I am, 300+ reviews later. Every time I got a small note from my readers, it made me smile. There are far too many names to list, but always know it is because of your kind words and asking me to update that I continue writing. Also, here's to those anonymous reviewers who took a few minutes to leave a small comment: Kitkatkathy, noodles579, inumongirl18, inu+kaglover4ever, YASHA101, Inu4ever, KagomeInuyasha, InuKagsLuver4Eva, erica, rossgirl1997, Casiosiris, m, Stardust, PrincessDay12, InuKag, kicca, Vanessa, InuyashaKagome, Dragonheart, Silkrose, and anyone else who reviews after this is posted. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

All of my readers. Even though most didn't leave a review, I'm glad I had those who enjoyed the story enough to follow it from beginning to end. Besides, not everyone has the time these days to leave a small comment. You should know that I appreciate everyone's interest in the story. I hope you find my future work worthwhile as well.

As some of you may know, when a story comes to an end, it's like a period of my life is coming to an end. I began writing this story when I was still in high school and I'm now finishing up my second year of college. Time sure flies. This is actually the first chapter-length story I've written that was in first-person POV. I've added a poll on my profile page, too, asking if you enjoy first-person POV or third-person POV better. Take it if you wish. In any case, although it's sad to see this come to an end, I'm happy at the same time. I'm always eager to finish stories and begin adding new ones that I'm sure you'll enjoy. My next story, Ripple Effect, should be coming out sometime this summer hopefully, if not sooner. It's an Inu/Kag centric piece, so add me to your alert list if you don't want to miss it. Ciao for now!

Sassybratt


End file.
